IRLF 


E7M    353 


PROPHETIC  DATES: 


THE  DAYS,  YEARS,  TIMES, 


VXD    MTIIKK    MM  » 


SPOKEN  OF   BY  THE  PROPHETS, 


The  Rise  and  Fall  of  Kingdoms  and  Churches, 


THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST, 


The  End  of  the  World,  and  the  Resurrection. 


IR  s  \I.K  r,v  ki-.v.  j.  u.  HIM  . 

1O41   Market    Street,  San    Francibi 


PROPHETIC  DATES: 


OR 


THE  DAYS,  YEARS,  TIMES, 

AND   OTHER    EPOCHS 

SPOKEN  OF  BY  THE  PROPHETS, 

WHICH    POINT   OUT 

The  Rise  and  Fall  of  Kingdoms  and  Churches, 

THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST, 
The  End  of  the  World,  and  the  Resurrection. 


BY  REV.  J.  J.  CLEVELAND. 


FOR  SALE  BY  REV.  J.  B.  HILL, 
1O41   Market  Street,  San   Francisco,  Cal 

1883. 


Entered  according  to  Act  n  the  year  !Ss:<.  hv  .1.  .1.  < 'I.KVKL\XD,  in 

the  Office  <>f  the  Libntr  -s,  at  Washington,  1>.  < '. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

I.     Introduction... 5 

II.     A  Day  lor  a  Year <> 

III.  Chastisement  Seven   Times 7 

IV.  Gog  and  Magog  of  Ez.ek. .  s 
V.  Gog  and  Magog  of  Kev.                                  .  21 

VI.  The  Little  Horn...                                       .  23 

VII.     The  2300  Days 27 

VIII.  The  Seventy  Week*..  _.  L»S 

IX.     Time  of  the  End ...  :i! 

\.     Tli.-  T\v<>  Witnesses 38 

XI.     Th"  W..man  in  the  Wilderness        40 

XII.     Tin-  I'.east    with   Ten  Horns                      42 

XIII.  The  Bea>t  with  Two  Horns  ...  44 

XIV.  The  Seals   47 

XV.  The  Trump.                                                        .  51 

XVI.  The  Vials  :.:. 

XVII.  The  Fall  of  Jerusalem,  Coming  of  Christ, 

and  Knd  of  th-  World 63 

XVIII.     The  Resurrection  of  Prophecy 75 


916671 


PROPHETIC   DATES. 


I.     INTRODUCTION. 

THERE  are  various  prophecies  which  are  evidently 
designed  to  represent  the  duration  of  certain  nations, 
or  the  length  of  the  triumphs  and  the  afflictions 
which  shall  be  the  portion  of  God's  people.  These 
periods  are  given  fora  purpose.  Often  they  have 
awakened  hope  in  those  who  have  been  weary 
because  of  the  long  delay.  It  is  proper  to  investigate 
these  epochs.  We  are  deeply  interested  in  them. 
We  desire  to  know  to  what  they  apply,  and  the  time 
of  their  beginning  and  ending. 

•  knowledge  in  reference  to  the  fulfillment  of 
prophetic  periods  ought  to  be  clearer  now  than  when 
the  last  prophecy  was  uttered.  In  one  place  Daniel 
ask^,  "  What  shall  be  the  end  of  these  tilings?"  The 
reply  is,  "The  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed  till 
the  time  of  the  end."  By  this  it  is  implied  that  at 
the  time  of  the  end  they  shall  not  be  closed  up  and 
sealed. 

tin  the  instruction  fco  Daniel  is,  "  Shut  up  the 
won  Is  and  seal  the  book  to  the  time  of  the  end; 
many  shall  run  to  and  fro  and  knowledge  shall  be 
increased."  By  the  phrase  "  knowledge  shall  be 


6  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

increased  "  we  think  it  is  declared  that  at  the  time  of 
the  end  the  knowledge  of  prophecy  will  be  more 
complete. 

That  mighty  persecuting  nation  existing  in  the 
time  of  John,  the  last  prophet,  long  since  ceased  to 
exist.  Other  strong  powers  whose  dreadful  cruelties 
the  prophets  declared,  have  arisen  and  flourished, 
and  have  either  passed  away  or  fallen  into  great 
feebleness.  Such  without  his  temporal  power  is  the 
Pope.  Such  is  the  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns,  which  was  ever  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Pope.  Such  also  are  the  Mohammedan  Arabs  and 
Turks.  According  to  the  common  interpretation  of 
the  prophecy,  no  other  powerful  persecuting  nation 
is  threatened.  And  it  is  even  contrary  to  all  human 
probability  that  such  a  power  shall  arise. 

II.     A  DAY  FOR  A   YEAR. 

In  Ezekiel,  chapter  4,  the  prophet  was  commanded 
to  lie  on  his  side  430  days,  to  bear  the  sins  of  the 
hou.se  of  Israel,  and  of  Judah.  The  Lord  says  to  the 
prophet,  that  he  has  appointed  him  each  day  for  a 
year.  This  is  one  of  the  hints  we  have  that  leads  us 
to  infer  that  in  prophecy  a  day  is  a  year.  Every  day 
that  the  prophet  is  to  lie  on  his  side  represents  a 
year,  in  which  Israel  and  Judah  shall  sutler  afflic- 
tion. 

The  application  of  the  prophecy  begins,  perhaps, 
at  the  time  of  its  utterance  about  596  B.  c.,  and 
ends  430  years  afterward  or  166  B.  c.  This  is  the 
ilate  of  the  first  triumph  of  the  Asmonean  princes. 


CHASTISEMENT  SEVEN   TIMES.  7 

It  was  the  beginning  of  liberty  which  was  enjoyed 
for  120  years  or  till  46  B.  c.  At  that  date  Caesar 
appoints  Antipater  governor  of  Judah.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  the  Roman  dictation,  and  the  end 
of  the  Jewish  independence. 

III.     CHASTISEMENT  SEVEN  TIMES. 

In  Lev.  26 :  27,  28,  we  have  the  following:  *  "  And 
if  ye  will  not  for  all  this  hearken  unto  me  but  walk 
contrary  unto  me;  then  will  I  walk  contrary  to 
you  also  in  fury  and  I  even  I  will  chastise  you 
seven  times  for  your  sins." 

The  term  seven  means  fullness  or  completion.  It 
is  evident  that  the  chosen  people  have  walked  con- 
trary unto  the  Lord,  and  they  have  not  hearkened 
unto  him.  Then,  to  a  great  extent,  the  punishment 
has  come  on  them.  It  may  be  supposed  that  pun- 
ishing seven  times  more  for  sins,  is  not  always 
increasing  the  intensity  seven-fold  more  for  the  same 
time,  but  it  is  increasing  the  duration  seven  times 
longer. 

We  suppose  that  the  chastisement  lasts  seven  pro- 
phetic or  2520  real  years.  It  consists,  in  part,  in 
the  separation  of  Israel  from  their  own  land, 
enforced  by  the  power  of  mighty  rulers,  and  in 
part,  in  being  kept  in  subjection  to  cruel  nations 
while  residing  at  home.  In  other  words  it  is 
absence  from  home,  or  oppression  by  alien  tyrants 
at  home.  This  captivity  and  subjection  to  alien 
tyrants  in  their  own  land,  is  often  mentioned  in  the 
Bible  as  a  great  source  of  the  calamities  of  Israel. 


8  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

To  a  great  extent  this  chastisement  consists   in 
wandering  in  the  wilderness  forty  years;  in  serving 
their  enemies  as    described  in  the  book  of  Ju 
111    years;  after  making  a  deduction  of  120  years 
for    the    period    of   freedom     under    the   Asm-np-an 
princes,  in  being  brought  into  subjection  to  foreign 
nation*  from   B.  C.   C06  to  A.  D.   70;  and  in- being 
driven  from  their  land  from  70  to  1882.  This  m 
the  period  of  2520  years.     This  is  twice  the   1200 
years  made  notable  by  being  mentioned  seven  times 
by  the  prophets.     As  the  woman  or   the   Christian 
Church   remains  in   the  wilderness  1260   day- 
years,  so  the  Jewish  Church  abides  there  2520 
or  years. 

If  as  some  think  the  Anglo-Saxons  are  descended 
from  the  ten  tribes,  their  seven  times  may  begin  at 
their  idolatrous  defection  under  Jeroboam,  and  it 
ended  with  the  crowning  of  Edward  VI.,  the  fir>t 
protestant  king  of  England. 

In  this  chapter  tho  Lord  declares  that  he  will  not 
utterly  cast  away  his  people,  but  he  will  remember 
the  covenant  of  their  ancestors. 

IV.     GOG  AND  MAGOG  OF  EZEKIKL. 

The  highly  important  prophecy  in  Ezekiel,  chap- 
ters 38  and  39,  deserves  much  consideration.  It 
proclaims  the  exaltation  of  the  sons  of  Japhet.  Till 
the  ascendency  of  the  Medes,  about  B.  c.  636,  the 
sons  of  Ham  and  Shem  had  been  supreme.  The 
time  is  drawing  near  when  the  tribes  of  Japhet  are 
to  seize  and  retain  the  authority,  while  tho-e  of 
Ham  and  Shem  are  to  fall  into  great  .feeblei 


GOG    AND    MAGOG    OF    EZEKIEL.  9 

"Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  art  thou  he  of  whom  I 
have  spoken  in  old  time  by  my  servants  the  proph- 
ets of  Israel  which  prophesied  in  those  days  that 
I  would  bring  thee  against  them." 

The  name  Japhet  itself  is  a  prophecy,  for  ifc  means 
enlargement.  Noah's  prophecy  is  in  point,  "God 
shall  enlarge  Japhet,  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents 
of  Shem,  and  Canaan  shall  be  his  servants." 

Balaam  declares,  ''And  ships  shall  come  from  the 
coast  of  Chittim,  and  shall  afflict  Asshur  and  shall 
afflict  Eber,  and  he  also  shall  perish  forever."  Asshur 
the  Assyrians,  and  Kher  the  Hebrews,  are  Shemites. 
The  country  represented  as  Chittim  was  the  abode 
of  the  sons  of  Japhet.  It  was  the  southern  coast  of 
Europe  bordering  on  tin-  Mediterranean. 

M< )>(.-.  spoaks  of  the  triumphs  of  Japhet  in  this 
language:  "And  the  Lord  shall  bring  thee  into 
Egypt  again  with  ship--,"  Isra.-l  wax  taken  back  to 
Egypt  with  the  ships  of  th«-  Japhetit- 

Again,  the  Lord  speaking  through  Mosi-s  says, 
concerning  Israel,  "I  will  move  them  to  jealousy 
with  those  which  are  not  a  people,  I  will  provoke 
them  to  anger  with  a  foolish  nation." 

In  this  prophecy  of  K/ekiel  four  of  the  seven  sons 
of  Japhet  and  two  of  his  grandsons,  are  diivctly 
mentioned  as  prominent  actors.  Also  by  Rush  we 
think  Madai  or  tli"  \L-di-s  is  pointed  out. 

In  Lange's  Uommentaiy  Gog  is  correctly  declared 

to  be  an  official  title.     It  means  chief  or  king.    Gog 

is    chief    of    the  Japhetic    nations    here   mentioned. 

\[edcs  introduced    the  custom  of  styling  their 


10  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

ruler  the  king  of  kings.  Here  a  similar  title  is 
given  to  Gog  by  calling  him  prince  of  Rosh.  Rosh 
means  chief.  It  is  the  same  as  to  say,  here  is  the 
true  king  of  kings.  At  the  time  of  the  invasion  of 
the  Scythians  in  636  B.  c.,  though  the  Medes  were 
the  most  powerful  nation  in  Asia,  they  were  over- 
come by  these  Scythians  in  a  great  battle. 

The  term  Rosh,  in  our  translation  rendered 
prince,  is  by  many  expositors  thought  to  be  a 
proper  name,  and  it  is  so  rendered  by  the  Septua- 
gint.  At  the  time  of  the  first  invasion  of  the  Scyth- 
ians, the  Medes,  under  Cyaxares,  were  able  to  lay 
siege  to  Nineveh,  the  most  powerful  city  in  the 
world.  The  Medes  are  fitly  styled  Ros:i,  or  chief, 
because  that  till  this  invasion  of  the  Scythians  they 
were  chief.  We  think  ttosh  is  the  prophetic  name 
for  the  Medes.  They  deserve  in-ntion  on  the 
account  of  their  influence  on  the  world's  history. 
The  Medes  an  I  Persians  were  the  breast  and  arms 
of  silver  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  vision. 

Gog  of  the  land  of  Magog,  is  also  termed  chief  in 
the  same  sense  in  which  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the 
image  as  the  head  of  gold  is  so  termed.  As  in  this 
vision,  Nebuchadnezzar  is  first,  so  Gog  is  first  in  the 
vision  of  Ezekiel.  The  image  of  the  kinij  of  Baby- 
lon represented  all  the  world  ruling  nations  till  the 
consummation  of  things.  So  in  Ezekiel's  prophecy, 
the  Scythians  with  the  other  northern  nations,  as 
well  as  the  Medes,  the  Grecians,  and  the  Romans, 
are  all  the  Japhetic  world  ruling  nations. 

It  has  been  difficult  to  determine  what  nations  are 


GOG  AND    MAGOG   OF   EZEKIEL.  11 

designated  by  Meshech  and  Tubal.  The  Chaldee 
interpreters  assert  that  they  are  Asia  Minor  and 
Italy.  This  is  not  improbable. 

To  meet  all  the  requirements  Meshech  and  Tubal 
must  be  allied  to  each  other,  as  well  as  to  Javan  or 
Greece. 

Also,  as  they  are  male  prominent  in  prophecy, 
they  should  become  quite  distinguished  in  history. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  Asia   Minor  and  Itaty 
and  perhaps    Spain    were  originally    bestowed    on 
Meshech  and  Tubal,  and  we  know  that  these  coun- 
tries join  the  possessions   of  other  of    the  sons  of 
Japhet,  and  are  in  the  same  latitude  with  them. 

Between  Greece  and  Rome  there  is  a  great 
similarity,  in  manners,  religion,  language,  and  litci- 
ature. 

Asia  Minor,  at  the  time  that  the  prophecy  was 
given,  was  peopled,  to  a  considerable  extent,  by  the 
Grecians.  Several  of  the  cities  were  enterprising 
Grecian  seaports.  Greek  colonies  were  numerous, 
and  of  course  in  these,  the  language  and  institutions 
were  those  of  the  mother  country.  It  bore  much 
the  same  relation  to  Greece  that  the  United  States 
does  to  England. 

For  centuries  the  Grecian  colonies  in  Asia  Minor 
have  been  more  important  than  the  mother  country 
itself.  It  was  here  that  the  seven  churches  were 
addressed  by  John  the  last  prophet.  It  was  here 
that  Paul  labored  and  to  the  churches  he  also 
directed  epistles. 

Tubal    ami    Javan    are    mentioned    together    by 


12  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

Isaiah  as  nations  where  a  remnant  of  Israel  shall  be 
sent,  and  they  are  such  as  had  not  yet  heard  of  the 
fame  of  the  Lord.  But  it  is  said  that  Israel  shall 
declare  the  Lord's  glory  among  them.  At  first  they 
did  not  hear  the  fame  of  the  Lord,  but  a  remnant  of 
Israel  was  sent,  and  they  declared  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  to  them. 

In  the  27th  chapter  of  Ezekiel   many  nations  are 
spoken   of    which    enrich    Tyre  by  trade.     Among 
these   Javan,    Tubal   and    Meshech    are  mentioned 
together,    and    their  trade   was  in  persons  of  m«>n, 
and  in  vessels  of  brass.     Such  a  trade  would  n< 
inconsistent    with    the   state    of    tiling    in   (Jreece, 
Rome  and  Asia  Minor.     They   were  nnt.v 
holders.     In   Greece   and   her   provin.-  was 

quite  abundant.     In  tin;   vision  of   Nebuchadn 
that  portion  of  the  ima^e  which  represents  Qi 
is  of  brass.     The  fact  of  the  common    use  of  this 
metal  in  Greece  is  made  evident   in  the  writin_ 
Homer. 

Meshech    and   Tubal    are  mentioned  in  the  *JiM 
chapter  of  Ezekiel   with  other  nations  which  have 
the    same    fate    as    Egypt.      Egypt  i- 
as    cast   down    to    the    nether    part   of   the   earth. 
Pharaoh  or  Egypt  is  said   to  be  in  tin-  center 
rounded  by  other  nations  which  go  <lo\vn  to  th 

As  the  ruin  of  Pnaraoh   was  accomplished  a;; 
the  first,  he  is  laid  in  the  center,  and  the  oth": 
rvssive  famous  nations,  as   they    fall   are  laid  about 
him.     To  go  down  to  the  pit   means  to  bee 
or  enfeebled.     Pharaoh   is   comforted  because  other 


GOG  AND   MAGOG   OF   EZEKIEL.  13 

distinguished  hostile  nations  go  down  to  the  same 
nether  parts  of  the  earth. 

The  first  mentioned  whose  ruin  is  consummated 
is  Asshur  or  Assyria.  The  Assyrians  and  Baby- 
lonians, which  were  nearly  akin  to  them,  were  suc- 
cessful oppressors  of  Egypt. 

Elam  or  Persia  is  next  in  order.     The  Modes  and  * 
Persians  were  fierce  oppressors  of  Egypt. 

Then  Meshech  and  Tubal  are  named.  This  agrees 
with  history,  for  Greece  and  Rome  were  the  next 
oppressors  of  this  ill-fated  country,  and  they  took 
their  place  in  the  pit. 

Edorn  comes  next  in  order.  The  fall  of  Edom 
is  after  that  of  Greece. 

In  this  scheme,  the  princes  of  the  north  and  all 
the  Zidonians  are  also  mentioned.  It  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  the  princes  of  the  north  are  the 
Mamalukes  and  the  Turks.  They  afflicted  Egypt 
and  their  place  is  the  pit.  All  the  Zidonians  may 
stand  for  the  whole  of  Phoenicia,  as  it  does  in  Ji  sh. 
12  :0,  and  in  other  portions  of  the  Bible.  Tyre  is 
called  the  daughter  of  Zidon  in  Isa.  2:5  :  12.  Those 
maritime  towns  were  not  utterly  overwhelmed  till 
after  the  dominion  of  the  crusaders.  Then  they 
were  destroyed  by  the  Mamalukes  of  Egypt,  that  they 
might  not  again  be  useful  to  the  Christians.  Mr. 
Keith  says  "  In  the  twelfth  century  Tyre  was  a  great 
commercial  city."  This  is  confirmed  by  Gibbon. 
In  Smith's  dictionary  it  is  declared  "  This  was  the 
turning  point  in  the  history  of  Tyre."  After  this 
the  prophecy  in  reference  to  the  utter  desolation  of 
Tyre  was  fulfilled. 


14  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

In  this  chapter  Meshech  and  Tubal  are  said  to  be 
the  terror  of  the  mighty  in  the  land  of  the  living. 
This  suits  the  history  of  Greece  and  Rome. 

Then  G}g  of  the  land  of  Magog  is  the  prince  of 
Rosh  or  the  Medes,  because  B.  c.  636  the  Scythians 
^conquered  them.  Gog  of  the  land  of  Magog  is  the 
prince  of  Meshech  or  Asia  Minor,  because  the  Cim- 
merians vanquished  it  about  B.  c.  636,  and  especially 
because  the  Turks  overcame  the  Grecian  Empire 
about  A.  D.  1313. 

Also  Gog  of  the  land  of  Magog  is  called  the  prince 
of  Tubal  or  Rome,  especially  because  the  Scythian 
Huns  and  Alans,  in  connection  with  the  Goths,  Van- 
dals, etc.  overcame  the  Western  Roman  Empire, 
thus  forming  the  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns,  which  arose  out  of  the 

"Sheba  and  Dedan     .     .     .     shall  say." 

Sheba  and  Dedan  are  the  Moslem  Arabs  whoso 
dominion  the  Turks  destroyed.  They  are  repre- 
sented as  remonstrating  with  the  Turks. 

"The  merchants  of  Tarshish  with  all  the  young 
lions  thereof." 

This  refers  to  the  Western  Roman  Empire  at  the 
time  of  the  invasion  of  the  Huns,  and  then  of  the 
Scythian  Moguls.  It  also  refers  to  the  western 
nations  at  the  time  of  the  crusades.  They  expostu- 
late with  all  these  Scythian  invaders. 

"Persia  and  Ethiopia  and  Libya  with  them. ' 

These  countries  were  with  the  Turks  and  with 
the  most  of  the  Japhetic  world-ruling  nations. 

"  Gomer  and  all  his  bands,  the  house  of  Togarmah 
of  the  north  quarters,  etc." 


GOG  AND  MAGOG  OF  EZEKIEL.        15 

These  were  the  Goths,  Vandals,  etc.  who  were 
engaged  in  overthrowing  the  Western  Roman  Em- 
pire, at  the  time  of  the  invasion  of  the  Scythian 
Huns  and  Alans. 

"  And  I  will  .turn  thee  back,  and  leave  but  the 
sixth  part  of  thee,  and  will  cause  thee  to  come  up 
from  the  north  parts." 

This  refers  to  the  Scythian  Gog.  Coming  from 
the  North  he  attacked  the  civilized  world-ruling 
nations  six  different  times.  The  first  was  B.  c.  636. 
The  next  was  the  attack  of  the  Western  Roman 
Empire  by  the  northern  hordes  about  400.  The 
next  was  the  inroads  on  the  Eastern  Empire  about 
1050,  by  the  Seljukian  Turks.  Then  came  the  in- 
vasion of  the  Moguls  in  1240.  The  most  remark- 
able of  all  the  attacks  was  that  of  the  Ottoman 
Turks  in  1313.  Lastly  about  1400  Tamerlane 
came  unequalled  in  his  cruelty.  It  was  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  that  turned  back  five  of  these  enormous 
Scythian  bands,  leaving  but  the  Ottomans  or  the 
sixth  part.  The  fanatical  zeal  of  Tamerlane  led  him 
exceedingly  to  desire  to  croas  over  into  Europe,  but 
he  could  not  obtain  ships  and  was  obliged  to  turn 
back.  The  Moguls  were  intimidated  by  the  vigor- 
ous opposition  of  the  Western  European  nations,  and 
they  went  back  The  Seljukian  Turks  were  turned 
back  by  the  Moguls,  and  especially  by  the  Crusad- 
ers. On  the  death  of  Attila  his  followers  without 
a  leader  were  enfeebled  and  scattered.  And  in  the 
great  invasion  of  B.  c.  636,  on  their  approach  to 
Egypt.  Pharaoh  hired  them  to  turn  back. 


16  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

"  And  thou  shalfc  come  from  thy  place  out  of  the 
north  parts  ....  all  of  them  riding  upon 
horses." 

The  Scythians  alone  all  rode  on  horses,  and  they 
came  from  the  north. 

'*  As  a  cloud  to  cover  the  land." 

Gog  and  Magog  mean  to  cover. 

"And  I  will  call  for  a  sword  against  him  through- 
out all  my  holy  mountains." 

Prominent  among  these  swords  is  that  of  Stilicho, 
Aetius,  Belisarius,  Sobieski,  and  the  Crusa drrs. 

"Every  man's  swnnl  sli  ill  be  against  his  broth 

There  is  an  illustration  of  this  strife  of  l>n-thivn> 
in  the  fierce  contests   between   the   Si-ythians   and 
Cimmerians  of  B.   c.   03(1,   between   the   Alan< 
Huns,  between  the  Seljukian  Turks,  tin-  Mumahikes 
and  Moguls,  and  between  Tamerlane  and   Baj 

"  And  I  will  send  a  fire  on  Magog  and  among 
them  that  dwell  carelessly  in  the  islr<." 

The  isles  is  Greece,  which  to  a  great  extent  is 
made  up  of  islands  and  peninsulas.  There  the 
Turks  have  vanished  into  smoke.  So  even  in  an- 
cient Scythia  the  inhabitants  are  greatly  enfeebled. 
(Hue's  travels). 

"And  they  shall  spoil  those  that  spoil  them,  and 
rob  those  that  robbed  them." 

This  process  of  spoiling  and  robbing  has  been  con- 
summated by  the  sword  which  the  Lord  called  for 
against  Gog,  throughout  all  his  hoi}7  .mountains. 
These  spoilers  we  have  mentioned  above.  For  many 
years  the  Ottoman  Turk,  in  his  feebleness  has  been 
plundered  by  the  other  nations. 


GOG  AND  MAGOG   OF   EZEKIEL.  17 

"Burn  them  (the  arms)  with  fire  seven  years." 

According  to  the  usual  estimate  of  prophetic 
time  this  is  2520  days,  in  which  a  day  is  taken  for 
a  year.  This  is  just  twice  the  notable  period  1260 
years,  or  time,  times  and  a  half.  If  this  time  begins 
with  the  first  irruption  of  the  Cimmerians  and 
Scythians  in  B.  c.  036,  it  should  end  in  1884. 
Amid  the  dreadful  calamities  of  the  incursions  of 
Gog,  the  sons  of  Jacob  and  Christian  Israel  have 
always  been  able  to  derive  some  advantage  from 
them.  The  burning  for  seven  years  of  the  Armor 
of  the  hosts  of  Gog,  by  those  who  dwell  in  the 
cities  of  Israel,  is  an  intimation  that  for  that 
prophetic  period  Gog  will  be  a  present  and  warlike 
oppressor  of  those  cities. 

"And  seven  months  shall  the  house  of  Israel  be 
burying  of  them  that  they  may  cleanse  the  land." 

This  alludes  to  the  period  of  the  various  conquer- 
ing Japhetic  nations,  from  the  time  of  their  first 
conquests  of  God's  people,  to  the  destruction  of  their 
authority.  But  as  it  is  stated  in  other  prophecies, 
the  rule  is  different  with  the  Romans,  theSeljukian 
Turks  and  the  Ottomans.  The  prophecy  in  Daniel 
9:26  intimates  that  the  dominion  of  the  Romans 
was  to  be  lengthened  out.  With  respect  to  the 
Turks,  it  is  inferred  from  Rev.  9:  15  that  they  are 
to  slay  men  391  years  before  their  power  begins  to 
diminish. 

These  seven  months  are  210  years.  As  usual  a 
month  is  thirty  days,  and  a  day  is  a  year. 

Let  us  see  how  this  agrees  with  the  history  of 
2 


18  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

the  nations.  Whatever  connection  it  may  have 
with  this  subject,  it  is  interesting  to  remark  that 
the  Chaldean-Babylonian  monarchy  subsisted  just 
210  years.  (See  Rollin.) 

The  dominion  of   the    Medes   and   P-r-iin-l> 
with  the  conquest  of  Babylo  i  B.  C.   538,  an<l  ei 
in  B.  c.  328,  in  the  complete   conquest  of  the 
sian  Empire  by  Alexander   the  Gre;it.     ThU  is  -  \  n 
years. 

The  Grecians  retained  some  authority  in  Palestine 
for  210  years,  or  till  John  Hyrcanus  made  an  entire 
conquest  of  the  whole  land. 

Tne  conquest  of  the  \\Vsti-rn  Roman  Kmpiiv  was 
made  by  the  Scythians   at  the  period  mentioned   in 
Dan.  9:26,  or  A.  D.  308.     These  rude  people,   the 
Goths,    Vandals,    Saxons,    etc.,    were    conquered    by 
other  arms  than  those  of  military  men.      They  were 
Christianized.      Good    authorises    might    be    c 
to  affirm  that  in  about   210  years  or  in  (>()(>  or 
they   became    assimilated    to    the  Roman  Catholic 
Christians,    in    manners,    religion,    and   to   a    L 
extent  in  Language.      606  or  60N  is  tin-  period  of  the 
rising  from   the   sea,   of   the  beast  with  seven  beads 
and  ten  horns.     This  is  the  b»«n>t  on  which  the  bar- 
lot  sat,   and   to  which   power   was  ^iven  t' 
months   or   1260    years.     This  power  then,  should 
have  ceased  in  1866  or  at  farthest  in  1 E 

In  Rev.  9:1")   four  angels  are  commanded    t 
loosed,  who  in  an  hour,  a  day,  a  month,  and  a  year, 
are    to    slay  a  third  part  of    men.     The  prevalent 
opinion  is  that  these  four  destroying  angels  are  the 
Turks. 


GOG   AND   MAGOG   OF   EZEKIEL.  19 

The  phrase  third  part  is  an  allusion  to  the  fact 
that  tiie  Grecian  is  a  third  part  of  the  original 
Roman  empire. 

The  four  angels  then  are  four  bands  of  Turks 
that  for  an  hour,  or  fifteen  days;  a  day,  or  one  year; 
a  month,  or  thirty  years;  and  a  year,  or  360  years; 
were  to  act  as  the  triumphant  destroyers  of  the 
Grecian  empire. 

The  slaving  of  Tamerlane  continued  only  fourteen 
:  that  of  Sarukhan  and  Aiden  for  one  year, 
that  of  the  Seljukian  Turks  for  thirty  years;  while 
the  Ottomans  were  slayers  for  360  years. 

In  the  Eastern  empire  the  career  of  the  slaying  of 
the  Si'ljukian  Turks  began  in  1071;  when  the 
emperor  llomanus  was  concurred  by  the  Sultan 
All)  Arslan.  Before  the  power  of  this  Seljukian- 
evil  angel  began  to  diminish.  le  was  to  slay  men  a 
prophetic  month,  or  thirty  years.  Then  like  the 
other  forces  of  (Jog  in  210  years  his  power  should 
be  destroyed.  In  thirty  years,  or  in  1101,  the  Cru- 
saders and  the  Grecian  emperor  Alexius,  broke  this 
dominion.  Add  i'I()  to  1101  and  we  have  1311. 
This  is  near  the  era  of  the  rise  of  the  Ottomans  and 
th«-  annihilation  of  the  power  of  the  Seijukians. 

There  was  a  separate  band  which  was  to  slay 
men  for  a  prophetic  day,  or  a  year.  In  1312,  this 
band  was  engaged  in  vanquishing  the  Grecian  pos- 
»ns  in  western  Asia  Minor.  During  that  year 
these  Turks  were  dominant,  but  in  process  of  time 
they  were  united  with  the  Ottomans. 

In  reference  to  these  slayers  Gibbon  is  specific. 


20  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

He  says:  "The  maritime  country  from  the  PropontU 
to  the  Mgeander  and  the  Isle  of  Rhodes,  so  long 
threatened  and  so  often  pillaged,  was  finally  lost 
about  the  thirtieth  year  (1312)  of  Andronicus  the 
elder.  Two  Turkish  chieftains,  Sarukhan  and 
Aiden  left  their  names  to  their  conquests  and  th«-ir 
conquests  to  their  posterity." 

Already  Othman  with  his  band  of  robbers  was  in 
the  field,  and  was  causing  alarm.  We  place  the 
beginning  of  his  power  to  slay,  in  the  next  year,  or 
in  1313.  The  Ottoman  was  the  most  powerful  and 
successful  of  all  the  oppressors.  He  wa-  nu-n 

a  prophetic  year,  or  360  years.     Add  :)i;n  to    i:U3 
and  we  have  the  date  of  the  termination  of  his 
ing   or  triumphs.     In  1673  the  Poles,   under  their 
grand    marshal    Sobieski,  gained  a  signal    vi< 
over  the  Turks,  who  never  afterwards  raised   their 
1  jeads  (see  Watson's  Dictionary,  Art.  Mohan  MM. 
ism.)     Then  the  burial  of  this  branch  of  G< 
in  1673,   and   should   end  210  ye;  .vanl,  or 

about  1883. 

These  repeated  instances,  of  the  decadence  of  Gog, 
in  the  stated  period  of  210  years  illustrates  the 
prophecy  in  Zech.  12  :  3.  "And  in  that  day  will  I 
make  Jerusalem  a  burdensome  stone  for  all  people; 
all  that  burden  themselves  with  it  shall  be  cut  in 
pieces,  though  all  the  people  of  the  earth  be  gat), 
together  against  it." 

The  conquest  of  Bajazet  by   Tamerlane   dela- 
tor  many  years,   the  movement  of   the  Ottomans 
against  Constantinople.     But  the  zeal  of  Tamerlane 


GOG  AND  MAGOG  OF  REVELATION.       21 

led  him  to  attack  the  fortress  of  Smyrna  which  was 
held  by  the  Christian  Rhodian  Knights.  Accord- 
ing to  Gibbon  he  took  the  place  in  fourteen  days. 
A  prophetic  hour  is  fifteen  days.  This  is  the  hour 
mentioned  in  the  prophecy. 

Gibbon  says:  "  Smyrna  defended  by  the  zeal 
and  courage  of  the  Rhodian  Knights,  alone  deserved 
the  presence  of  the  emperor  himself.  After  an 
obstinate  defence  the  place  was  taken  by  storm. 
The  Moslems  of  Asia  rejoiced  in  their  deliverance  from 
a  dangerous  and  domestic  foe;  and  a  parallel  was 
drawn  between  the  two  rivals,  by  observing  that 
Timour  in  fourteen  days  had  reduced  a  fortress 
which  had  su>t;tinr<i  M-ven  years  the  siege,  or  at 
least,  the  blockade  of  Bajazet." 

V.     GOG  AND  MAGOG  OF  REV. 

In  Rev.  20,  mention  is  again  made  of  Gog  and 
Magog.  Nothing  is  said  of  Rosh  Meshech  and  Tu- 
bal,  because  at  the  time  of  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  in  1313,  heathen  Media  Macedonia  and 
Rome,  had  long  ceased  to  be  world-ruling  powers. 

"  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven, 
having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  a  great 
chain  in  his  hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon, 
that  old  serpent,  which  is  the  devil  and  Satan  and 
bound  him  a  thousand  years." 

This  refers  to  the  downfall  of  heathen  Rome,  by 
the  arm  of  Constantine,  in  315.  By  the  Eastern 
Kmpire,  one  thousand  literal  years  were  enjoyed  of 
freedom  from  the  oppression  of  a  power  like  heathen 
Rome. 


22  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

"'  This  is  the  first  resurrection." 

The  first  resurrection  is  freedom  for  a  thousand 
years  from  the  sway  of  a  cruel  and  iting 

nation  like  heathen  Rome,  and  it  is  the  enjoyment 
during  that  period,  of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 
and  of  exalted  power.  The  notable  Grotius  favors 
a  similar  explanation. 

"  On  such  the  second  death  has  no  power." 

The  second  death  comes  not  till  the  thousand 
years  are  passed.  It  is  mentioned  as  an  n-tiu-y, 
efficient  in  destroying  the  beaat,  the  false  prophet, 
and  the  dragon  or  Satan. 

They  are  said   to    be    blessed    and    holy.     So  the 
Israelites  even,   at  the  time  of  the  destructi> 
.Jerusalem  are  termed  God's  holy  people.       See  Dan. 
8:  24). 

"  Which  had  not  worshiped  the  beast,  neither  his 
image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their 
foreheads  or  in  their  han 

The  Latin  Church  worshiped  'In-  b.-a^t,  and  his 
image,  and  received  his  mark  upon  their  foivi 
and  in    their  hands.     But   th- 
ai ways  live  from  that  wicked i. 

"But  the  rot  of  the  dead  lived  not  until  the 
thousand  years  were  tini>hed." 

The  dead  here  m-nt'ioned  are  the  chosen  people  in 
the  Western  kingdoms  who  are  destitut. 
and  religious  freedom,  and  of  exalted  power.  The 
Ivisteru  Christiana,  fleeing  west  from  the  Turk, 
carried  knowledge  and  the  spirit  of  freedom  with 
them.  The  names  of  Wickliiie  in  the  fourteenth 


THE   LITTLE   HORN.  23 

century,  and  of  John  Huss  and  Ziska  in  the  next, 
are  suggestive.  But  especially,  the  dead  rose  to 
life  at  the  symbolical  resurrection,  at  the  great 
reformation,  beginning  with  Luther. 

"  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  expired  Satan 
shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison,  etc." 

Satan  is  loosed  in  1318,  a  thousand  years  after  he 
was  bound,  and  he  is  permitted  to  bring  forth 
against  the  Grecian  Empire  his  obedient  servants 
the  Turks.  In  this  prophecy  the  thirty  years  of 
conquest  by  the  Seljukians  seem  not  to  be  reckoned. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  unexpected  agents 
such  as  the  Crusaders,  and  the  Moguls,  for  a  long 
time  strangely  restrained  the  elsewhere  triumphant 
Turks,  from  their  attack  on  the  Eastern  Kmpire. 
They  must  wait  till  the  thousand  years  are  expired. 

"Cast  into  the  lake  of  lire." 

di-vil  here  ivpiv^<-nts  the  Ottomans  whose 
faithful  servants  they  wen-.  In  chapter  1:2:  1),  the 
devil  which  represents  heathen  Rome  is  said  to  be 
cast  into  the  earth;  in  chapter  20:  3,  he  is  said  to 
be  cast  into  the  bottomless  pit;  but  here  he  is  said 
to  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  to  be 
tormented  day  and  night  forever  and  ever.  This 
ends  his  triumphs. 

VI.     THE  LITTLE  HORN. 

The  seventh  chapter  of  Daniel  contains  a  concise 
history  of  the  world  monarchies  from  Nebuchad- 
nezzar till  the  Ancient  of  days  sits  and  the  saints 
take  the  kingdom.  A  lion  with  eagles'  wings  stands 


24  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

for  the  Babylonians,  a  bear  for  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians, a  leopard  for  the  Grecians,  and  a  strong  and 
fierce  beast  without  a  name  for  the  Romans.  With 
accuracy  and  success  two  important  powers,  the 
Papal  and  the  Moslem,  are  described  with  the  same 
words.  This  agrees  with  the  practice  in  other 
prophecies.  There  is  nothing  misleading  in  this 
mode,  and  it  suits  the  design  of  prophecy,  which  in 
general,  is  not  meant  to  be  understood  until  after  its 
fulfillment. 

The  ten  horns  mentioned  in  this  chapter  do  not 
belong  to  the  Roman  Catholic  monster,  but  to  the 
Roman  beast  before  the  division  of  the  empire.  As 
we  learn  from  Rev.  12 : 13,  this  also  had  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns.  The  Roman  Catholic  animal  was  an 
image  of  the  first. 

The  old  Roman  Empire  was  divided  into  three 
parts.  This  would  leave,  in  round  numbers,  three 
of  the  old  horns  or  kingdoms  in  each. 

Three  horns  or  Western  Europe  were  conquered 
by  the  Northern  barbarians,  who  in  turn  were  sub- 
jugated by  the  Papal  hierarchy.  The  completeness 
of  the  dominion  of  the  Papists  over  these  nations,  is 
pointed  out  by  the  representation  of  a  harlot  riding 
on  a  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns. 

In  another  direction,  at  nearly  the  same  time* 
three  of  the  ten  horns,  or  kingdoms  were  plucked 
up  by  the  roots,  by  the  Moslem  Arabs. 

Some  time  after,  or  about  1313,  the  three  remain- 
ing horns  were  eradicated  by  the  Turks. 

This  symbol  of  the  Moslem  and  Papal  powers  is 


THE   LITTLE   HORN.  25 

said  to  be  a  little  horn.     Again  it  is  said  that  its 
look  is  more  stout  than  its  fellows. 

The  beginning  of  each  was  in  feebleness,  but 
afterwards  great  power  was  attained. 

The  little  horn  is  said  to  be  diverse  from  the  first. 
The  meaning  is  that  it  is  unlike  the  mighty  king- 
doms before  mentioned.  With  ease  this  difference 
may  be  pointed  out. 

In  this  horn  were  eyes  like  a  man  and  a  mouth 
speaking  words  against  the  Most  High.  In  these 
respects  this  horn  is  diverse  from  the  former  mighty  ' 
powers.  In  general  the  beasts  which  represent 
tin -so  powers  are  not  characterized  by  the  prophets 
as  having  eyes  and  a  mouth  like  a  man,  but  they 
are  spoken  of  as  fierce  animals. 

Under  the  fifth  trumpet  the  locusts  who  stand 
for  the  Moslem  Arabs,  are  said  to  have  the  face  of  a 
man.  The  Roman  hierarchy  is  styled  a  man,  or  a 
fuUe  prophet.  Four  angels  or  messengers  symbolize 
the  Turks. 

The  Moslems  and  the  Papists  agree  with  each 
other,  and  are  diverse  from  the  rest  in  speaking 
words,  or  deliberate  blasphemy  against  the  Most 
High. 

The  Moslems  and  the  Papists  are  diverse  from  the 
other  powers,  and  are  like  each  other  in  making 
religion  a  pretext  for  everything. 

They  are  like  each  other,  and  diverse  from  the 
former  great  powers  in  thinking  to  change  times 
and  laws.  Changing  times  and  laws  means  subvert- 
ing the  divine  economy. 


26  PR'OPHETIC    DATES. 

They  hlive  similar  success  in  prevailing  against 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High.  No  other  powers  suc- 
ceeded so  well. 

They  are  -like  each  other,  and  diverse  from  the 
rest,   in  growing  great  out  of  the  corruptions,  the 
one  of  the  Eastern,  and  the  other   of  the    \\Y 
Church. 

They  are  like  each  other,  and  differ  from  the  rest 
because  their  bodies  are  given  to  the  burning  ilame. 
In  Rev.  it  is  declared  that  the  place  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  beast,  the  Moslem  dragnn,  and  the  Papal 
false  prophet,  is  in  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone. 
The  other  great  powers  do  not  have  this  fate. 

They  agree  with  each  other,  and  diller  fioni  the 
rest  because  their  dominion  continues  till  the  saints 
take  the  kingdom. 

The  same  agreement  with  each  other,  and  diver- 
sity from  the  former  great  pow.-rs.  m  i 
in  their  duration.     Their  car-MT  begins  and  ends  At 
nearly  the  same  time,  and  their  period  is   th«-   noted 
time,  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time,  or  12 
The  beginn  ng  of   the  one  is  GOO,  of  the  otlie. 
The  end  of  the  one  was  in  1866  or  1868.    The   en  1 
of  the  other,  if  the  reasoning  is  e  :i<>uld    be 

about  ISS2. 

In  the  three  places  in   the  prophets,    where  the 
expression,  "time,  times  and   a  half  "  are  used,  and 
in  the  mention  of  times  in  our  Lord's  discour- 
Luke  21:24-,  there  seems  to  be  a  primary  reference 
to  the  Moslem  oppression  of  1260  years. 


THE  TWENTY-THREE  HUNDRED  DAYS.     27 

VII.     THE  2300  DAYS. 

"Then  I  heard  one  saint  speaking,  and  another 
saint  said  unto  that  certain  saint  which  spake,  how 
long  shall  be  the  vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice 
and  the  transgression  of  desolation  to  give  both  the 
sanctuary  and  the  host  to  be  trodden  under  foot? 
And  lie  said  unto  me,  unto  two  thousand  and  three 
hundred  days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be 
cleansed  !"  Dan.  <S:  13. 

By  consulting  the  whole  passage  we  find  that  the 
with  the  conquest  of  Babylon  by  the 
Medes  and  Persians  P,  0.  ~>-">\  and  it  ends  when  the 
sanctuary  and  the  host  cease  to  be  trodden  under 
foot.  But  there  was  a  period  when  the  sanctuary 
and  the  ho-^t  were  not  trodden  down.  This  was  the 
]'2(}  years  from  the  triumph  of  the  Maccabees  to  the 
appointment  of  Antipater  as  governor.  These 
Asmonean  princes  in  their  spirit  and  success  were 
like  the  heroes  of  the  early  days  of  the  Jewish  com- 
monwealth. They  did  not  allow  the  sanctuary  and 
the  host  to  be  trodden  under  loot.  Since  the  time 
of  thi-  prophecy,  with  the  exception  of  these  120 
.  Jerusalem  has  been  under  the  dominion  of 
n  oppressors. 

Deducting  120   from    r>38  we  have  418.     Adding 

4lNto    1S.S2    we   have   2300.     If  our  reasoning  is 

I,  we  may  conclude  that  the  sanctuary  will  be 

ised  and  the  sanctuary   and   the  host  will  cease 

to  be  trodden  under  foot  about  1882, 


28  PROPHETIC   DATES. 


VIII.       THE  SEVENTY  WEEKS. 

In  the  prophecy  in  Dan.  0:24-27,  which  has 
deservedly  received  very  much  attention,  the 
phrases  "seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy 
people  and  upon  thy  holy  city,"  apparently  rel 
two  distinct  periods.  One  of  these  is  seventy  \ve«-ks 
or  Sabbaths  of  years,  in  which  every  Sab- 

baths is  fifty  years.     According  to  the  reckon  ii 
the  Jews,  every  seven  Sabbaths  of  years  intro-i 
the  fiftieth  year  or  the  holy  year  of  Jubilee. 
25:8.)     A  jubilee    period    is  fifty 
Sabbaths  of  years.     Then   seventy    \v» .-eks  or  Sal,- 
baths  of  years  is  five  hundred  years. 

The  other  is  seventy  weeks  of   \\  nty 

jubilee  periods,  amounting  to  3500  years.  There 
are  Sabbaths  made  up  not  only  of  seven  days,  but 
of  seven  years,  and  of  jubilee  periods.  In  the  orig- 
inal the  phrase  is  not  seventy  weeks,  but  seventy 
sevens. 

Daniel  had  been  led  to  this  earnest  and  long  con- 
tinued inquiry  from  reading  the  prophecy  of  Jere- 
miah that  the  Lord  would  expose  Jerusalem  to  « 
lation  for  seventy  years.  Hence  the  angel  Gabriel 
takes  the  term  seventy  for  a  text,  and  he  points  out 
the  interesting  epochs. 

The  smaller  number  is  the  pattern  of  the  larger. 
Both  periods  have  reference,  the  one  to  the  first 
advent  of  Christ,  the  other  to  a  time  of  manifest 
triumph.  The  angel  is  extremely  sparing  of  his 


THE   SEVENTY   WEEKS.  29 

words.  He  never  uses  two  phrases  to  express  the 
same  idea.  Determined  upon  thy  holy  city  refers 
to  one  event,  and  determined  upon  thy  people 
another. 

The  smaller  period  begins  with  the  purification  of 
the  temple  service  in  the  days  of  Ezra  or  B.  c.  467. 
Soon  after  the  walls  of  the  city  were  built  by  Nehe- 
miah.  Thus  it  is  called  a  city  because  it  is  re-edified, 
and  a  holy  city  because  Ezra  made  pure  its  daily 
service.  This  period  terminates  with  the  death  and 
ascension  of  the  Lord  in  33. 

The  phrases  "determined  upon  thy  holy  city," 
"to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,"  and  "to 
anoint  the  Most  Holy,"  must  manifestly  bo  referred 
to  the  shorter  period.  Christ  is  the  Most  Holy,  who 
was  anointed,  and  who  made  reconciliation  for  ini- 
quity. 

Such  passages  as  "to  finish  the  transgression," 
"  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,"  and  "  to 
seal  up  the  vision  and  the  prophecy,"  seem  to  have 
only  a  primary  fulfillment  in  the  first  period,  and 
their  realization  is  more  complete  in  the  second. 

The  longer  term  of  3500  years  should  commence 
with  the  going  out  of  Israel  from  Egypt  and  the 
end  will  be  a  memorable  era  in  the  future. 

If  for  the  Exodus  we  take  the  common  chronology 
B.  c.,  1491,  the  3500  years  will  end  in  2009.  But 
a  passage  in  the  Acts  13  :  20  suggests  another  system 
of  reckoning.  Paul  says:  "After  that  he  gave 
unto  them  judges  about  the  space  of  450  years, 
until  Samuel  the  prophet." 


30  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

This  nearly  agrees  with  Josephus,  who  in  one 
place  makes  the  time  from  the  Exodus  to  the  build- 
ing of  the  temple  592,  and  in  ano  her  (ill?  years, 

In  Lange's  Commentary  on  this 
the  following ;     "  We  are  therefore  oblL 
that  Paul  has,  in  this  case,  received  a  clmmnl< 
system  which  was  generally  adopted  by  the  learned 
Jews  of  his  day." 

Prof.  Strong's  Art.  Egyptian  Chronology,  M-tI><>- 
dist  Quarterly  He  tie  w,  July,  1^7N  If,  how- 

ever, with  many  of  the  most  recent  antli* 
biblical  chronology,  we  reject  the  date   4M>th  year)  in 
1   Kings  0:  1,  and  thus  allow  the  book 
be  continuous,  (as  Paul  evi  iently  did   in   Ad>    \-: 
20),  instead   of   making  it    parallel   with   it-fit',   we 
shall  have  space  for  the  time  of  the  I->\  ptian  !\ 
as  above  condensed."     (Ai  nith's  Di 

Art.  Chronology.) 

If  we  follow  this  chronolog}    siiLrii'^ted   by   the 
apostle,  we  shall  have  40  years  in  the  wilder 
according  to  Josephus  25  years  for  .Joshua's  admin- 
istration; eight  years  for  the  Elders    Judges  2:7); 
and  450  years  for  the  Judges   to  Samuel    includ-d. 
This  makes  the  period  from  the  K\o  his  to  Saui 
If  this  estimate  is  correct  the  termination  of   the 
3500  years  is  not  distant. 

If  we  accept  this  chronology,  and  for  the  other 
dates,  take  the  accepted,  the  world's  great  Sabbath 
is  already  due.  It  is  a  little  over  6000  years  since 
the  first  man.  Mindful  that  a  day  with  the  Lord  is 
a  thousand  years,  many  in  past  ages  have  looked 
forward  to  this  era  with  high  expectations. 


THE   SEVENTH   WEEKS.  31 

It  should  not  be  thought  a  strange  thing  that  the 
vision  of  the  prophet  should  penetrate  so  far.  His 
visions  were  all  far  reaching.  They  extended  till 
the  body  of  the  beast  that  represented  the  world- 
ruling  kingdoms  is  destroyed,  and  given  to  the  burn- 
ing flame ;  till  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  take  the 
kingdom;  till  the  stone  cutout  of  the  mountain 
fills  the  whole  earth;  and  till  the  Ancient  of  days 
sits. 

"  Know  therefore  and  understand  that  from  the 
going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to 
build  Jerusalem  unto  the  Messiah  the  Prince  shall  be 
seven  weeks  and  threescore  and  two  week 

(  'yrus  g;ive  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to 
build  Jerusalem  B.  C  538  (See  Isa.  44:  28).  As  every 
fteven  weeks  is  a  jubilee  period  of  fifty  years  seven 
wcek>  an< I  threescore  and  two  weeks  are  nearlv 
4(J3  years.  Sixty-two  weeks  arc  nearly  443  years. 

In  Lange's  Commentary,  it  is  said  that  the  terms 
Messi-ih  the  Prince  do  not  refer  to  Christ,  as  in  the 
lal,  if  a  reference  were  made  to  him,  the  definite 
article  would  be  employed.  Also,  in  this  commen- 
tary, it  is  declared  that  the  Messiah  mentioned  in  the 
2Gt.h,  is  not  the  same  as  the  one  mentioned  in  the 
^5th  verse. 

In  Isa.  45:  1,  Cyrus  is  called  the  Lord's  Messiah. 
This  is  a  greater  exaltation  than  to  be  styled  an 
anointed  prince.  The  Lord's  anointed  who  gave 
the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem 
is  Cyrus.  The  anointed  prince  (a  Messiah)  who 
flourished  4(,)3  years  afterward,  who  was  the  first 


32  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

Roman  who  appointed  an  alien  governor  over  the 
Jews,  and  enforced  on  them  the  payment  of  tribute, 
(see  Smith's  Dictionary),  is  Julius  (J.rsar.  An 
anointed  one  (a  Messiah),  who  443  years  afterward 
was  to  be  cut  off  and  to  have  nothing  is  Honorius. 

At  the  end  of  the  designated   403   years,  Julius 
Csesar  was  made  perpetual  dictator.     Plutarch 
of  him  that  he  introduced   the  monarchy.     At  the 
same  date  also,  about  B.  c.  46,  he  destroyed  the  Jew- 
ish independence  which  had  been  enjoyed  1:20  \ 
by  appointing  as  governor  the  foreigner  Antipater. 
Josephus  enumerates    as    many    as  s».'v.-n    decrees 
which  Caesar  made  in  reference  to  the  Jews.      \Ve 
see  no  impropriety  in  terming  such  a  person  a  Mr<- 
siah  (an  anointed  one),  and  a  Prince. 

"And  after  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall 
siah  be  cut  off  but  not  for  hiinsi'lf." 

Csesar  gave  an  example,  and  even  a  name,  to  a 
long   line   of  succeeding  emperors.     For  so  long  a 
period  no  nation  has  ever  been   ruled  by  so    many 
renowned  commanders.     That  period  is  merit i 
in  this  prophecy  as  62   weeks  or  443  years.     This 
brings  us  to  A.  D.  398  or  the  era  of  Honorius,    the 
feeble  son  of  Theodosius,  the  Great.     Of  tli 
Gibbon  says:     "The  genius  of  Rome  expired  with 
Theodosius,  the  last  of  the  successors  of  An- 
and  Constantine,  who  appeared  in  the  field  ar   the 
head  of  their  armies,  and  whose  authority  was  uni- 
versally acknowledged  throughout  the  whole  extent 
of  the  empire." 

On  the  death  of  Theodosius,  Honorius  sat  on  the 


THE   SEVENTY   WEEKS.  33 

throne  of  the  Western  Empire.  Unlike  the  first 
Caesar  he  is  not  called  a  Prince,  but  simply  an 
anointed  one.  T  his  is  said  of  him  that  he  shall  be 
cut  off.  The  phrase  "but  not  for  himself"  in  the 
margin  is  rendered  "  and  shall  have  nothing." 

This  is  the  time  when  the  sixth  head  of  the  beast 
with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  was  wounded  to 
death,  whose  deadly  wTound  was  healed.  It  was 
healed  in  606  by  the  establishment  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  dominion. 

"  And  the  people  of  the  prince  that  shall  come  shall 
destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary." 

The  prince  is  the  Roman  Emperor  and  the  people 
are  the  Romans.  The  reference  is  to  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  which  was  consummated  A.  D.  70. 

"  And  he  shall  confirm  the  covenant  with  many 
for  one  week."  This  is  a  week  of  seven  years.  The 
person  who  confirms  the  covenant  is  the  Roman 
Emperor.  The  time  probably  is  the  first  destruc- 
tion of  the  city  under  Titus,  and  the  second  under 
Adrian. 

"  And  in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the 
sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease." 

The  sacrifice  and  oblation  ceased  with  the 
destruction  of  the  city  and  the  temple  in  70.  It 
was  in  the  midst  of  the  week  or  after  more  than 
three,  years  of  war. 

"For  the  overspreading  of  abominations  .  .  . 
poured  upon  the  desolate." 

The  overspreading  of  abominations  has  continued 
to  the  present.  They  will  be  continued  till  that 
3 


34  •    PROPHETIC  DATES. 

determined  shall  be  poured  upon  the  desolate  or  the 
desolator,  as  it  is  rendered  in  the  margin.  The 
present  and  probably  the  last  desolator  is  the  Turk. 
We  have  reason  to  hope  that  when  the  dominion  of 
the  Turk  shall  be  done  away,  the  overspreading  of 
abominations  shall  also  cease. 

XL     TIME  OF  THE  END. 

"And  at  the  time  of  the  end  shall  the  king  of  the 
south  push  at  him;  and  the  king  of  the  north  shall 
come  against  him  like  a  whirlwind,  etc."  (Dan.  11 : 
30). 

With  good  reason  many  conclude  that  the  king  of 
the  south  is  the  Moslem  Arabs,  and  the  king  of  the 
north  is  the  Turks.  The  king  or  kingdom  which 
they  are  said  to  push  at,  and  to  come  a-Min-t.  is  the 
Roman.  The  connection  intimates  this,  for  the 
Roman  power  had  just  been  mentioned,  at  first  as 
heathen  Rome,  which  took  away  the  H  daily 

sacrifice,  and  set  up  the  abomination  that  maketh 
desolate;  and  then  as  Papal  Rome,  of  whom  it  is 
said  that  "  He  shall  do  according  to  his  will;  and  he 
shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify  himself  above  every 
god  and  shall  speak  marvelous  things  against  the 
God  of  gods." 

The  Arabs  and  Turks  succeeded  in  vanquishing 
two- thirds  of  the  old  Roman  empire,  and-  they  often 
attacked  the  remaining  third. 

In  reference  to  these  wonderful  prophecies  in  this 
chapter,  two  questions  are  asked,  the  first  by  an 
angel,  the  second  by  Daniel  himself.  The  one  asks. 


THE   TIME   OF   THE    END.  35 

"How  long  to  the  etui  of  these  wonders?"  The 
other  asks,  "What  the  end  of  these?"  They  would 
not  ask  about  the  same  thing.  The  fact  that  the 
answers  are  diverse  shows  that  the  questions  relate 
to  different  events. 

The  first  answer  is,  "It  shall  be  for  a  time,  times, 
and  a  half;  and  when  he  shall  have  accomplished  to 
scatter  the  power  of  the  holy  people  all  these  things 
shall  be  finished." 

This  probably  relates  to  the  dominion  of  the  Mos- 
lem Arabs  and  Turks.  Where  they  hold  authority, 
the  power  of  the  holy  people  is  scattered.  A  time 
is  360  days,  or  a  year;  times  is  720  days,  or  two 
8;  half  a  time  is  ISO  days  or  half  a  year.  The 
whole  pj.-n.nl  is  (Mpial  to  12(>0  d.-iys  or  \virs. 

The  era  from  which   the   Moslems  reckon  time  is 
(52*2.     If  this  is  the  beginning,  the  end   will  be  in 
This  coincides  with  other  prophecies  which 
refer  to  the  end  of  the  Moslem  rule. 

The  second  question  appears  to  have  a  reference 
to  the  duration  of  the  persecutions  of  heathen  and 
Papal  Rome.  In  this  prophecy  these  persecutions 
are  distinctly  mentioned.  Of  God's  people  it  is 
said,  "They  shall  fall  by  the  sword,  and  by  flame, 
by  captivity  and  by  spoil  many  days."  This  would 
awaken  in  Daniel  deep  interest  and  inquiry. 

The  fact   that  the  time  begins  with   the  forcible 
termination  of  the  religious  service  of  the  Hebrews 
at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  leads  us  toconclud 
that  the  answer  points  out  the  period  of  the  Roman 
tyranny. 


36  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

"And  from  tin-  time  that  the  daily  sacrifice  shall 
be  taken  away  and  the  abomination  that  maketh 
desolate  set  up,  there  shall  be  a  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  ninety  days." 

Jerusalem    was  encompassed  with  armies  in  (»7. 
This    is  equivalent  to    Betting    up   th  •  abomination 
that  maketh  desolate.     But  there  was  an  era  of 
dom  from  the  favor  of  Constantino  313,  to  the  tem- 
poral power  of  the  P..pe   (106,  or  2!»:>  This 
be    deducted.      Then  tlie  termination    of   the 
years  is  in  ](;.">().      This  brinirs  'is  to  Cromwell 
whose  rule  wa-  m«»iv  excellent  than  had  beenknoWO 
hitherto  in  Kumpc.      [n  1648,  the  thirt  war 
.•oncluded,  and  the    treaty    «.f    Westphalia    was 
consummated.     Ily  this  treaty  freedom  of  conscience 

anted  to  all.      This  is    the  be/mnin^  <>f   th' 
of  persecution.      Lymaii  .-ays  tliat  "It  is  t! 
all  other  ' 

"Bles-ed  is  he  that  waitetli  to   the  thousand  t 
hundivd  and  live  and  thirty  <i. 

This  adds  forty-live  nd  biinus  us  to   I 

The  treaty  of    l\yswicU    was    coneluded    in    1H(.»7. 
This  was  another  occasion  of  triumph    to   the  godly. 
Maraulay   remarks    that    since  the  iv-toration  then- 
liad  not  been  such   a  manifesMtion  of  joy  in    '. 
land.      .lames    II.    of    Ku^land    had    viola; 
compact,    and   had    undertaken    to    do    away    with 
civil    and  religious    liU-rty,  but   by   this  treaty   his 

hopes  are  hla-ted.        Ill    HiS").    LouU   \I\'.   of   Fl; 

displayed  the  ancient  spirit  of  persecution  by  r 

ing  the  edict  of  Nantes  by  which  more  than  half  a 


THE   TIME   OF   THE   END.  37 

million  of  the  best  citizens  were  forced  into  foreign 
lands.  But  from  this  era  even  in  France  such  cruel- 
ties must  cease.  At  this  time  Peter  the  Great  is 
on  the  throne  of  Russia,  and  the  progress  of  this 
great  nation  fairly  begins.  The  republican  king, 
William  III,  rules  in  England,  and  no  one  better 
than  he  knew  how  to  teach  princes  to  reign.  The 
Turks  have  begun  to  lose  their  power,  and  they  for- 
ever cease  to  be  the  terror  of  the  Christian  na  ions. 
It  may  be  truly  said,  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth  and 
cometh  to  l(i!).").  From  this  ern  throughout  Chris- 
tendom all  fearful  persecution  -  As  shown  in 
2  Thess.,  4:  17,  ( Jod's  people  are  henceforth  to  enjoy 
supreme  power. 

\'>\  Bonn  tors  it  is  thought  that  the  taking 

away  the  daily  sacrifice,  refers  to  some  noted  tyran- 
nical act  by  which  the  church  is  oppressed.  They 
claim  that  the  injurious  decrees  <>!'  Justinian  in  533, 
and  of  Phocas  in  <>()(>,  are  such  acts.  Indeed  it  may 
be  proper  to  reckon  from  f>:>.S  as  a  shadow  of  the 
prophecy  whose  fulfillment  truly  begins  iii  o'T. 

If  we  add  .">33  to  lLM.H)  we  have  1.^3.  This  is  the 
termination  of  the  long-continued  and  fierce  conflict 
for  the  enjoyment  of  freedom.  This  began  in  the 
Unit'  3  iu  177-">,  where  it  terminated  success- 

fully. It  broke  out  in  1789  in  France,  and  to  a 
great  extent  repressed  the  tyranny  of  the  rulers  in 
Europe.  The  contagion,  with  all  its  violence,  spread 
to  the  Spanish-American  States,  and  in  1823 
resulted  in  the  enjoyment  of  republican  institutions. 
is  also  the  renowned  era  of  freedom  to  the 
Greeks. 


38  PROPHETIC   DAT 

If  we  add  r>:}.°>  to  the  la<t  period  or  to  1335  we 
have  1868.  This  dan-  will  forever  be  memorable  as 
the  terminati;  n  of  the  power  of  the  beast  with  - 
heads  and  ten  horns,  on  which  was  seated  the 
harlot.  In  other  words,  it  is  the  end  of  the  t«-m- 
poral  power  of  the  I'< 

"Thou    shalt  stand   in    th\    lot  at  the  end  of  the 
daya" 

The  end  of  the  days  is  at  tin-  time  of  the  political 
supremacy  of  tin-  ;  us,  which  are  the 

true  Israel.       Tlu-n   Daniel  shall  stand  in  his 

re  Christ's  mini-try.  Kiijah    stood  in  hi 
the  person  of  John  the  JJapf, 

X.     TIIK  TWO    W1TNKS- 

"But  the  court   which   is   without,  leave  out  and 
measure  it  n  ,11:7. 

The   court   which    i-   no<    n 

evrry    portion    of    tin-    1.  inioii 

\\hrre  deluding  r<  are  enforced.    The 

forty-two  months  during   whicli  the  < 
under   foot   the   h<>ly    city 

The  holy  city  is  the  former  righteous  d« .minion 
which  was  usurped  by  the  corrupt  Roman  Catholic 
power.  The  forty-two  months  hrgin  about 
and  end  about  1  N(i(j.  Soon  after  I860,  owing  to  the 
destruction  of  the  lu-a-t,  the  pure  word  of  God  has 
been  pi-,  ached  in  Roman  Catholic  countries,  and 
even  in  Rome  itself,  and  none  can  hinder  it. 

The    fact    that    the    Gentiles  abide  in    the  court 
though  they  tread  under  foot  the  holy  city,  shows 


THE  TWO  WITNESSES.  39 

that  they  have  some  knowledge  of  true  religion. 
This  answers  to  the  condition  of  the  Latin  Church. 

The  two  witnesses  are  the  Christian  ministers 
who  amid  fierce  persecution  preached  the  word. 
The  Lord  sent  out  his  apostles  by  twos.  The  time 
of  their  persecution  is  1260  years. 

They  have  the  power  of  Moses  and  Elijah  to  turn 
waters  into  blood,  and  to  cause  fire  to  consume 
their  enemies.  When  they  have  finished  their  testi- 
mony the  Roman  Beast  makes  war  against  and 
kills  them.  Their  dead  bodies  lie  in  the  street  of 
the  great  city  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and 
Kii'ypt,  where  our  Lord  was  crucified.  Those  who 
(1  \vell  on  the  earth  rejoice  at  their  death. 

The  witnesses  began  their  testimony  at  the  time 
of  Stephen's  persecution  about  34.  They  were  slain 
at  the  Lateran  council,  May  5,  1514.  The  orator 
of  that  council  declared:  "There  is  an  end  of  resist- 
ance to  the  papal  rule  and  religion."  They  rose 
again  in  three  days  and  a  half,  or  three  years  and  a 
half,  in  Oct.  31,  1517,  when  Luther  posted  his  theses 
at  Wittenberg.  The  tenth  part  of  the  city  falling 
was  one  of  the  horns  of  the  beast  or  England,  which 
was  separated  from  the  Latin  Church.  The  great 
earthquake  was  the  reformation. 

From  this  period  there  must  be  deducted  220 
years,  or  from  313  to  533.  During  this  220  years 
the  witnesses  were  not  clothed  in  sackcloth. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  owing  to  the  promi- 
nence of  these  witnesses,  they  were  more  easily  sub- 
jected to  the  power  of  tyrants  than  was  the  church 


40  PROPHETIC   DATKS. 

wh»se  history  is  given  in  the  twelfth  chapter. 
Hence  their  disabilities  began  in  34  instead  of  07, 
and  again  in  ">.">3  instead  of  606. 

Also  a  friendly   power  could   protect  these  wit- 

•-  with  more   facility   than   it   could   the  whole 

church.     Hence  l.">17  was  the  period  of  freedom  for 

the   witnesses,    hut    the   church   was    oppressed    till 

1620. 

XI.     THE  WOMAN  IN  THE  WILDERNESS. 

"And  tin -iv  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven  ; 
a  woman  clothed  witli  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under 
her  feet,"  etc.  Rev,  \-2:  1. 

Tiiis  w  )  nan  is  the  church  as  she  existed  at  the 
birth  of  r.irist.  Sun  is  the  highest  world  powr, 
which  at  tliis  time  was  th  ivd  dragon  with 

and  ten  horns,  or  heathen  Rome. 

That,  th.'  wminn  is  clothed  with  the  sun  implies 
that  the  Chief  government  interfered  in  her  affairs. 
Herod,  the  li  .man  ruler,  built  the  temple;  greatly 
promoted  internal  improvement,  and  in  many  n 

strove  t<»  please  the   •'• 

The  moon  under  her  feet  implies  that  this  church 
was  enjoying  the  spiritual  authority. 

The  crown  <>f  twelve  stars  is  a  reference  to  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

The  worn -in  brought  forth  a   man  child,  who 
to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron.      This  child  is 
Christ, 

The  dragon  sought  to  destroy  the  child  as  soon  as 
it  was  born. 


THE   WOMAN   IN   THE   WILDERNESS.  41 

Herod  sought  to  destroy  the  child,  and  the  Roman 
governor,  Pilate,  caused  the  Lord  to  be  crucified. 

Her  child  was  caught  up  to  God  and  his  throne. 

This  is  a  literal  description  of  the  ascension  of 
Christ  to  heaven. 

The  woman  is  represented  as  fleeing  into  the 
wilderness.  It  is  the  Christian  Church  which  thus 
flees.  The  time  of  the  flight  is  67.  The  Lord 
instructs  his  disciples  that  when  they  shall  see  Jeru- 
salem encompassed  with  armies,  they  must  hasten 
and  flee  to  th<3  mountains.  This  took  place  in  67. 
The  termination  of  the  time  of  the  abode  in  the 
wilderness  is  I(>2().  This  is  the  date  of  the  landing 
of  the  pilgrims  at  Plymouth.  Here,  for  the  first 
time  in  many  centuries,  the  church  found  rest,  and 
by  the  blessing  of  (Jod  she  has  enjoyed  it  here  ever 
since.  "A  little  one  becomes  a  thousand  and  a 
small  one  a  strong  nation." 

In  this  period  from  67  to  1620  we  deduct  the 
u-ablu  years  from  :}  1  3  to  606,  or  from  the  favor- 
able decree  of  C  msUntine,  to  the  disastrous  one  of 
Phocas.  During  tin-so  293  years  the  church  was 
not  separated  and  hunted  down. 

The  war  in  heaven  refers  to  the  contest  between 
Christianity  arid  paganism.  The  act  of  casting  the 
dragon  into  the  earth  refers  to  the  overthrow  of 
heathenism  and  the  establishment  of  Christianity  in 
its  place.  This  was  begun  by  Constantine. 

"And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  into 
the  earth,"  etc.  The  dragon  when  he  was  cast 
into  the  earth  is  the  guide  of  the  Moslem  Arabs  and 


42  PROPHETIC  DATES. 

Turks.  These  were  as  cruel  in  war,  as  debased  by 
their  social  vices,  ami  as  besotted  by  ignorance  and 
superstition,  as  were  the  pagan  Romans.  Their 
rulers  were  more  oppressive.  They  deserve  to  be 
characterized  as  the  dragon  and  Satan. 

"And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a 
great  eagle." 

This  branch  of  the  church  is  obliged  to  hasten  and 
avoid  the  persecutions  of  the  Mo-lems.  She  is  nour- 
ished for  a  time  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the 
face  of  the  serpent.  This  is  liMJO  ve, 

The  Mohammedan  era  began  in  (J'2'2.  Then  the 
termination  of  the  flight  of  the  woman  from  the 
face  of  the  Mo>lem  serpent  will  be  in  1SS2.  In  this 
empire  given  over  to  Satan,  the  church  does  not  yet 
enjoy  freedom. 

"And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as 
a  flood  after  the  woman,"  etc.  The  flood  symbolizes 
invading  forces. 

"And  the  earth  opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed 
up  the  flood,"  etc.      This  was  especially  il 
by  the  attack  of  Charles   M artel   on   the   invading 
forces  of  the  Arabs,  and  of  Solieski  on  the  forces  of 
the  Turks. 

XII.  THE  BEAST  WITH  TEN  HORNS. 

"And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea  and  saw  a 
beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  having  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon 
his  heads  the  name  of  blasphemy."  Rev.  13:  1. 

This  beast  is  like  the  four  seen  by  Daniel  and  it 


THE  BEAST  WITH  TEN  HOKNS.        43 

is  their  successor.  Like  them  it  came  out  of  the  sea. 
The  first  beast  of  Daniel  was  like  a  lion.  This  has 
a  lion's  mouth.  The  second  was  like  a  bear.  This 
has  feet  like  a  bear.  The  third  was  Tike  a  leopard. 
This  also  is  like  a  leopard. 

The  dragon  gives  this  beast  his  power  and  his 
seat  and  great  authority.  The  dragon  is  pagan 
Ron 

One  of  the  heads  of  this  beast  was  as  it  were 
wounded  to  death,  but  the  dea  lly  wound  was 
healed.  It  was  wounded  to  death  in  the  reign  of 
the  feeble  Honorius.  The  deadly  wound  was 
healed  by  the  rising  from  the  sea  of  this  beast  which 
we  are  now  describing.  This  was  about  (JOG. 

"And  power  was  given  unto  him  to  continue 
forty-two  monH  The  word  translated  to  con- 

tinue means  to  do  or  to  execute.  Forty-two  months 
is  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days  or  years.  The 
fulfillment  of  this  prophecy  gives  us  a  chance,  with 
more  accuracy,  to  estimate  when  this  time  begins. 
The  Pope  lost  his  temporal  power  in  1868.  Since 
then  this  beast  has  been  powerless.  This  makes 
his  beginning  as  acting  in  association  with  the 
sacerdotal  power  near  the  notable  era  GOG. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  bull  of  the  Pope  for 
the  convocation  of  an  Ecumenical  Council  issued  in 
1868  does  not  invite  sovereigns  to  sit  in  that  council, 
Elliott  states,  that  it  is  "  An  admission  of  the  com- 
pleted ending  of  the  period  of  the  kings  of  Western 
Christendom  spiritually  subjecting  the  power  of 
their  kingdoms  to  him ;  that  is  of  the  completed 
ending  of  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years." 


44  PROPHETIC   DATES. 


XIII.     THE  BEAST  WITH  TWO  HORNS. 

The  beast  with  two  horns  described  in  Rev.  1  '2  : 
11,  is  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans.  And,  in 
process  of  time,  the  Jesuits,  also  a  monastic  order, 
took  his  place.  It  is  the  same  beast.  The  Jesuits 
were  an  afterthought,  suited  to  the  changed  times 
and  like  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans  the  special 
object  was  to  infuse  new  life  into  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic beast. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth   century,  the 
pure  word,  preached,  especially  by  the  All'lir* 
was  becoming  quite  efficient  and  the  old  tcn-h. 
Roman  Catholic  beast  was  slow  and  awkward  in 
suppressing  it.     So  this  new  animal  was  demanded. 
It  is  said  that  he  exercised  all  the  power  of  the  lir^t 
beast  before  him.     These  monkish  fraternities    did 
exercise  this  authority. 

Also  after  the  reformation,  the  old    lx  a-t    \\ . 
laggard  and  unsuccessful  in  dealing  with  the  reform- 
ers,   that    it    was    thought  needful  to  enthrone  the 
Jesuits. 

This  beast  is  said  to  come  out  of  the  earth.  This 
implies  that  he  came  out  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
world. 

The  horns  are  those  of  a  lamb,  but  he  spoke  as  a 
dragon.  The  idea  is  that  he  counterfeited  the 
appearance  of  a  lamb,  while  he  had  the  disposition 
of  the  old  Pagan  Roman  dragon.  Though  the 
priests  of  these  orders  instituted  the  cruelties  here 


THE   BEAST   WITH   TWO   HORNS.  45 

mentioned,  they  hypocritically  shifted  the  responsi- 
bility on  the  secular  authority. 

The  image  of  the  Roman  Catholic  beast  was  the 
inquisition.  This  had  the  power  both  to  speak,  and 
to  cause  that  all  who  did  not  worship  it  should  be 
killed.  By  this  it  is  implied  that  all  organized 
bodies  as  well  as  individuals,  that  did  not  pay  the 
est  deference  to  the  inquisition  were  obliged  to 
succumb  to  it.  It  is  the  death  of  organized  bodies 
as  well  as  of  individuals  that  is  here  mentioned. 

The  causing  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven  is  an 
allusion  to  the  fire  that  Elijah  caused  to  fall  on  his 
enemies  to  destroy  them.  Heaven  here  represents 
tha  exalted  place,  from  which  descends  the  highest 
human  authority.  This  is  the  fire  of  man's  wrath 
and  it  consumes  the  good.  The  multitude  of  the 
martyrs  since  the  year  1200  attests  the  ravage  of 
tliis  flame.  In  three  hundred  years  more  than 
1,000,000  endured  the  death  of  martyrs. 

The  causing  that  all  who  have  not  the  mark  of 
the  beast  shall  neither  buy  nor  sell  is  a  reference  to 
til--  exclusion,  in  all  places  where  the  beast  has 
power,  of  the  so-called  heretics,  from  civil  and  relig- 
ious privileges. 

The  miracles  by  which  he  deceived  those  who  dwell 
on  the  earth,  or  the  Roman  Catholic  world,  were 
not  so  much  attempted  imitations  of  the  miracles  of 
Christ,  as  the  making  an  image  of  the  beast,  and 
giving  life  to  it,  and  causing  fire  to  fall  from  heaven. 

Following  a  common  and  appropriate  explanation 
we  find  the  number  GG6  in  the  Greek  word 


46  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

meaning  Latin.  According  to  the  method  of  the 
Grecians,  taking  each  letter  for  a  number,  we  have 
666.  It  is  a  Latin  beast.  The  powerful  monastic 
fraternities  have  only  attained  their  greatest  success 
in  the  Latin-speaking  countries.  The  language  is  re- 
garded so  important  that  always  it  has  been  used  in 
the  worship,  forming  most  of  the  service,  and  it  has 
been  a  choice  agency  to  keep  in  darkness  the  multi- 
tude who  do  not  understand  a  word  of  it. 

The  number  also  has  a  reference  to  the  duration 
of  this  power  which  is  GG6  years.  Lyman  makes 
the  inquisition  begin  at  1204.  Perhaps  the  beast 
began  his  existence  at  the  same  time.  Then  the 
end  should  have  been  in  1^7<>  «>r  n«  ar  the  time  of 
the  fall  of  the  ten-honn-.l  animal.  For  obvious  rea- 
sons they  should  both  go  down  together. 

The  false  prophet  still  lives,  hut  he  diitl-rs  from 
this  two-horned  animal,  in  that  he  has  now  no  power 
to  make  an  image  of  the  ten-horned  beast,  or  to  give 
life  to  it,  or  to  cause  fire  to  fall  from  heaven.  So  in 
this  book,  the  false  prophet  is  spoken  of  as  efficient 
in  the  crusades.  Hut  lie  had  not  yet  assumed  the 
body  and  horns  of  a  beast. 

As  it  is  in  point  we  will  quote  from  Mosheim's 
History:  "During  three  centuries  these  two  frater- 
nities (the  Dominican  and  Franciscan)  governed, 
with  an  almost  universal  and  absolute  sway,  both 
State  and  Church,  filled  the  highest  posts  both  eccle- 
siastical and  civil,  taught  in  the  universities  and 
churches  with  an  authority  before  which  all  opposi- 
tion was  silent,  and  maintained  the  pretended 


THE   SEALS.  47 

majesty  and  prerogatives  of  the  Roman  pontiffs, 
against  kings,  princes,  bishops,  and  heretics,  with 
incredible  ardor  and  equal  success.  The  Dominicans 
and  Franciscans  wuiv,  before  the  Reformation,  what 
the  Jesuits  became  after  that  happy  and  glorious 
event,  the  very  soul  of  the  hierarchy,  the  engines  of 
State,  the  secret  springs  of  all  the  motions  of  both, 
and  the  authors  or  directors  of  every  great  and 
important  event  both  in  the  religious  and  political 
world."  And  again :  "These  two  orders  restored 
the  church  from  that  declining  condition  in  which 
it  had  been  languishing  for  many  years,  by  the  zeal 
and  activity  with  which  they  set  themselves  to  dis- 
cover and  extirpate  heretics,  to  undertake  various 
negotiations  an  I  embassies  for  the  interest  of  the 
hierarchy,  and  to  confirm  the  wavering  multitude  in 
an  implicit  obedience  to  the  Roman  pontiffs." 

XIV.     THE  SEALS. 

In  Rev.   VI.   the  first   six  seals  are  designed   to 

represent  the   most   striking  characteristics  of  the 

•nt  lea  ling    tyrannical    governments,   or  the 

different  phases  of  the  same  government,  during  the 

whole  period  covered  by  this  prophecy. 

The  first  seal,  introducing  a  ri  ler  on  a  white 
horse,  represents  the  long  line  of  renowned  and 
conquering  emperors,  from  Julius  Cresar,  B.  C.  46, 
till  early  in  the  reign  of  Honorius  or  398.  This  is 
the  threescore  "and  two  weeks  mentioned  in  Dan. 
9:  ^G.  It  is  fitly  said  "He  went  forth  conquering 
and  to  conquer." 


48  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

The  second  seal  represents  the  dominion  of  the 
Goths,  Vandals.  Saxon-;,  etc.,  in  tli-  Western  Empire 
from  398  till  about  (j()(j,  or  till  they  were  Christian- 
ized. Power  was  given  to  this  rider  to  take  peace 
from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  another, 
and  there  was  given  unto  him  .  -word.  ( 

tentions  were  common  between  the  dilfe.rent  tr 
and  by  their  successful  attack  on  the  Western  Roman 
Empire  they  took   peace  from   the  earth.     This  is 
the  power  that  smote  to  death  the  -ixth  In -ad  of  the 

ieadly   wound   was   healed    about 
by  the  rise  of  the  ten-horned  1  [the  papacy. 

T.ie  rider  shown  by  opening  the   third   seal, 
on  a  black  horse,  and  in  his  hand  there  is   a   pair  of 
balances.     A  voice    i>   heard   saying:     "A 
of  wheat  for  a  p-nnv.  and  thre.-  measured  »t'  !• 
for  a  penny,  and   Mt  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the 
wine." 

The  ruler  described  here  <loes  not  promote  thrift, 
ami  he  swallows  the  goods  of  the  people  by 
exactions. 

The  oppression    is   made  apparent  when   we 
sider  that  a  me*8Ur«  of  wheat  is  essential  for 
daily  food,  and  the  penny  that  purchased  ir 
that  could  be  obtained  lor  a  day's  labor. 

There  is  also  an  allusion  to  spiritual  tyranny. 
The  bread  of  life  and  the  wine  of  the  kingdom  are 
enjoyed  .»nly  amid  humiliating  disabii: 

This   rider    represents   the    peculiarities    of 
Asiatic  rulers,  which   at  first  ahHi< 
Eastern  Christian  Empire,  and  at  length  the  whole 


THE    SEALS.  49 

of  it.  The  oppression  began  with  the  Persian  Chos- 
roes  III.,  who  about  the  year  600  overran  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  eastern  Christian  dominion.  It 
has  continued  under  the  Moslem  Arabs  and  Turks 
even  to  the  present  day.  Oil  and  wine  abound 
where  these  tyrants  rule 

When  the  fourth  seal  was  opened  a  pale  horse  is 
seen.  The  name  of  the  rider  is  death,  and  hell  fol- 
lowed with  him.  He  is  called  death,  not  because  he 
destroys  natural  life,  but  the  power  and  life  of  god- 
liness, and  freedom  and  true  science. 

Hell,  or  the  grave,  follows.  In  the  grave  is 
buried  out  of  sight  every  civil  or  religious  institution 
which  promotes  human  freedom  or  godliness.  Right- 
eous men  also  are  ingulfed  by  it.  The  power  of 
hell  or  the  grave  was  manifestly  displayed  under 
the  next  seal,  which  indeed  is  the  same  government 
but  under  a  later  and  sterner  rule.  The  inquisition 
was  the  very  personification  of  the  grave. 

In  this  prophecy  it  is  said  that  death  and  hell 
cast  into  the  lake  of  tire.  And  Hosea  exclaims 
w  0  death  where  is  thy  sting,  O  grave  where  is  thy 
victory?"  The  ravages  of  death  and  the  grave  are 
repressed  at  the  Reformation,  beginning  in  the 
sixteenth  century.  At  that  time  the  nations  rise 
from  the  power  of  death  and  the  grave,  or  they 
enjoy  a  resurrection. 

Power  was  given  to  this  rider  over  the  fourth  part 

of  the  earth.     This  is  a  fourth  part  of  the  old  Roman 

empire  as  it  existed  when  the  prophecy    was  given. 

The  fourth  part  was  the   Western  Empire  with  a 

4 


50  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

part  of  Spain  and  Africa  given  over  to  the  Arabs. 
But  for  the  loss  of  Spain  ami  Africa,  it  would  be 
termed  the  third  part.  "Power  was  given  to  him 
to  kill  with  the  sword,  and  with  hunger  and  with 
death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth." 

The  term  hen-  translated  sword  is  never  used  in 
the  New  Testament,  unless  in  a  symbolical  sense. 
The  word  translated  sword  under  the  see«,nd  seal  is 
not  the  same  a^  thU.  and  witli  one  exception,  in  the 
New  Te-taineiit.  it  is  alwa\>  u-ed  in  a  literal  sense. 
Tlie  sword  of  tins  lioi>einan  is  tie-  >word  of  the 
mouth.  Hunger  ivpie.-eiits  the  Condition  of  tln^e 
famisliing  for  th.-  bread  of  lite.  Beasts  <>f  the  earth 
fitly  characterize  tin-  ^o\vrnments  of  the 

d,      Tlie  prophet^    represent    siieh  governments 
as  tii-rce  I  Po  Kill  with  th«-  -word  and  hunger 

and  death  and  tl  .!'    tlie    field,  me*] 

prive    ni.n.    n. .t    of    natural   life,   but   the    life  and 

doiu.  and  of  godlin.  ss,  and  of  tru 
ence. 

This  rider's  eareer  b.-gins  about  606  and  ends  in 
1200,  and  forcibly  represents  the  Roman  Catholic 
oppression. 

At  the  opening  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  seals  no 
horse  appea:  This  may  be  b  no  new 

dynasty  is  described.       It  is  the  g 
eminent  as  the  fourth,   but   there  is  a  change  in  the 
condition. 

When   the   fifth    seal   (.pens,    the   souls   under  the 
altar    speak.       Their   language   >hows   that  it 
period  of  fierce  persecution.     By  putting  into  opera- 


THE   TRUMPETS.  j  ? 

tion  the  machin*  ry  of  the  inquisition,  near  Uie  year 
1200,  the  most  fearful  of  all  persecutions  arose,  and 
it  continued  for  three  hundred  years.  Now  hell,  or 
the  grave,  is  satiated. 

At  the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal  surprising  revo- 
lutions are  manifest.  The  elevated  language  suits 
the  subject,  and  it  is  such  as  a  divine  penman  alone 
can  employ.  It  appears  to  refer  to  the  overthrow 
of  the  debased  Roman  Catholic  and  Moslem  powers. 

The  era  of  great  revolutions  began  in  1500,  and 
the  moveni'Mit  continually  has  increased  in  intensity. 
They  have  the  character  of  a  judgment,  for  the 
high  and  the  low  hide  themselves  in  the  dens  and  in 
the  rocks  of  the  mountains,  and  say  to  the  mountains 
and  the  rocks  "Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face 
of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb." 

XV.     THE  TRUMPETS. 

In  Rev.  8,  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal  brings 
to  view  the  vision  of  the  seven  trumpets.  Here 
where  the  words  "a  third"  is  used  the  application  is 
to  a  third  part  of  the  original  empire.  It  was  divided 
into  three  portions. 

When  earth,  sea,  and  rivers,  and  fountains  of 
waters  an-  mentioned  as  separate  divisions,  as  is  the 
ially  under  the  trumpets  and  vials,  they 
have  a  specific  prophetic  import. 

Earth  means  those  bordering  portions  of  the 
empire  which  are  not  entirely  assimilated  in  man- 
ami  language.  Sea  means  the  heart  of  the 


'52  PBOPHETIC    DATES. 

empire.  It  is  a  center  for  power,  language,  man- 
ners, and  religion.  One  reason  for  calling  this  the 
sea  is  the  fact  that  it  is  near  the  Great  Sea  and 
receives  much  of  its  importance  from  it.  I'nder 
both  the  vials  and  the  trumpets  there  B  be  a 

literal  allusion  to  the  - 

As  rivers  and   fountains  of  waters  are  the  E 
in  substance  with  the  sea,  the  countries  repn -eiited 
by  them  must  have  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  cen- 
ter of  tin-  empire.       They  must  speak  the  -ami'  lan- 
guage and  cnj<»y  the  ,-ame  manners  and  religion. 

Under  the  trumpets  the  earth  m  lllvrian 

frontier.      Tin-  >»«a  is  Italy.       The    riv  t'oun- 

of  waters  are  Gaul,  Spain,  Britain  and  Africa. 

Tin'  earth  here  ends  me   j»rovince>   that  in 

tlie  division  fell  to  the  K;-tetn  Kmpire,  but  this 
s. -paiation  w;,  t  fully  consummated 

The  lilyiian  front  ier   here   styled   the  earth  o«>m- 
:a,     Noricuin,      Pannonia,     Dalmatia, 
])aeia.     M;r>:a,     Tin  ace.     Maceilonia     and     Gi 
These    provinces    were    the    iiioxt    warlike    in     the 
empire.     (See  Gibbon). 

This  frontier  is  properly  styled  the   earth 
it   forme'!  1-arrier  to   the  incursions  of  the 

barbarous  nation-.     1'y    the  policy  of    the  emp> 
BOme    of   the-..-   provinces  were   colonizi  d    with    bar- 
barians, to  prevent  the  attack  of  their  ruder  breth- 
ren.    This  barrier  could   not,  like  Gaul,  Spain,  and 
Britain,  be  called   rivers  and  fountains  of  f 
flowing  into   the  Roman  sea,  for    its   center   was 
Constantinople,  and  not  Rome,   and   its  prevailing 
language  Grecian  or  Barbarian,  and  not  Latin. 


THE    TRUMPETS.  53 

The  ruin  of  the  earth  was  due  to  the  Huns.  Not 
that  they  invaded  it  first,  but  they  forced  the  Goths 
to  flee  thither  for  their  lives.  The  ruinous  work 
was  begun  by  the  Goths  under  Fri tiger n,  in  the 
reign  of  Valens.  After  the  death  of  Theodosius 
there  followed  the  direful  invasion  of  Alaric.  At 
length  the  Huns  appeared  in  person  under  A  ttila, 
"the  scourge  of  God,"  and  they  tarried  long  enough 
to  complete  the  destruction.  The  central  time  of 
the  attack  on  the  earth  was  398,  or  near  the  date  of 
the  death  of  Theodosius,  from  which  time  the  fall 
of  the  empire  is  reckoned. 

When  this  angel  sounded.  "There  followed  hail 
and  tire  mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were  cast 
upon  the  <•  irth  ;  and  th  •  third  part  of  the  trees  was 
burnt  up,  and  all  the  green  grass  was  burnt  up." 

In  tht;  prophecy  Of    K/rkiel,  where  he  gives  a  full 
iption  of  the  incursions  of  the  Scythians,   he 
«  \vith  John,  that  they  come  as  a  cloud  and  a 
storm. 

The  earth  was  made  a  desert.  The  history  agrees 
with  the  pn.ph  -cy.  It  was  the  boast  of  Attila  that 
"The  grew  on  the  spot  where  his  horse 

had  trod." 

In  describing  the  condition  of  these  provinces, 
after  the  incursion  of  the  Goths,  in  the  reign  of 
Valens,  Gibbon  quotes  St.  Jerome  as  saying* 
"Nothing  was  left  except  the  sky  and  the  earth, 
and  after  the  destruction  of  the  cities  and  the  extir- 
pation of  the  human  race,  the  land  was  overgrown 
with  thick  forests,  and  inextricable  brambles." 


54  PROPHETIC   DAT! 

The  saying  that  "all  the  green  grass  was  burnt 
up,"  implies  that  the  attack  on  the  earth  was  not 
confined  to  the  Western  Empire.  This  agrees  with 
th  •  history.  The  usual  expression  "one-third"  is 
not  here  u>ed. 

"And  the  second  angel  sounded  and,   as  it  were, 
at  mountain  burning  with  fire   was  cast  into 
the  sea,  etc." 

A'aric  w'rh  the  Goths,  and  Genseric  with  the 
Vandals,  by  successful  attacks  on  Italy,  and  «-\vn  by 
pillaging  Rome  itself  \\viv  th.»  chief  -i  ful- 

filling this  prophecy.  The  Vandals  subverted  the 
maritime  po\\vr  of  Kome.  As  is  often  the  case,  a 
literal  description  is  here  join.-d  with  the  symbolic. 

The  movements  of  the  conqueror-  who  directly 
attacked  Italy,  wen-  rapid  and  decisive,  answering 
to  the  velocity  of  a  mountain  hurled  into  the  midst 
of  the  sea. 

The  first   movement  of  Alaric  against  Italy  was 
ut  400. 

When  the  third    angel    sounded   a  "  burning 
fell  from  heaven  up <m  the  third  part  of  ti 
and  upon  the  fountains  of  wat 

Here  again,  is  great    rapidity    of  motion   answer- 
ing to  the  event     This  prophecy  is  fulfilled  by  the 
final    separation    from    the    Empire    of    Gaul     and 
Spain,  about    407,   by  the    follow.-: 
Near  the  same  date.  Britain  was  also  lo  I  long 

after  Africa  followed. 

A  third  part  of  the  sun  moon  and  stars  were 
smitten  when  the  fourth  angel  sounded. 


THE   VIALS.  55 

This  refers  to  the  subversion  of  the  supreme  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  authority.  Odoacer  is  the  agent. 

The  fifth  trumpet  calls  forth  the  Moslem  Arabs. 
They  are  to  torment  men  five  months  or  150  years. 
This  begins  in  622,  and  ends  a  little  after  the  build- 
ing of  the  city  of  Bagdad  which  was  called  the  "  city 
of  peace."  During  these  150  years  nearly  all  the 
conquests  of  the  Arabs  were  made. 

It  is  said  that  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death 
and  shall  not  find  it.  The  Moslem  rulers  exposed  to 
extreme  indignity  those  Christians  that  they  could 
not  convert  to  their  faith.  A  desire  to  die  means  a 
desire  of  the  Christians  to  dissolve  their  organiza- 
tions, or  to  pass  out  of  sight,  in  order  to  avoid 
exposure  to  continual  shame. 

Gibbon  Bays:  "About  two  hundred  years  after 
Mohammed,  tin.-  Christiana  were  separated  from  their 
fellow-subject-  by  a  turban  or  girdle  of  a  less  honor- 
able color:  instead  of  horses  or  mules,  they  were 
compelled  to  ride  on  asses,  in  the  attitude  of  women. 
Their  public  and  private  buildings  were  measured 
by  a  diminutive  standard;  in  the  streets  or  in  the 
baths  it  is  their  duty  to  give  way  or  bow  down 
before  the  meanest  of  the  people ;  and  their  testi- 
mony is  rejected  if  it  may  tend  to  the  prejudice  of  a 
true  believer." 

As  we  have  already  seen,  the  sixth  trumpet  is  a 
call  for  the  Turks. 

XVI.     THE  VIALS. 

The  seventh  trumpet  introduces  us  to  the  vision  of 
the  seven  vials.  This  is  the  third  woe.  The  vials 


56  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

are  judgments  on  modern  Rome  and  the  Turk. 
With  particularity  they  point  out  many  of  the 
events  which  the  sixth  seal  briefly  mention--'!. 

Like  the  first  trumpet  the  first  vial  refers  to  the 
earth.  \Ve  must  us.-  the  sain-'  rules  here  in  locating 
the  earth  as  under  the  trumpets.  It  is  the  hitherto 
Roman  Catholic  countries  which  are  not  Latin 
speaking.  These  were  on  the  border  of  the  empire 
of  the  beast,  and  were  milated,  an-i 

servile  to  the  Papacy  than  the  Latin -speak  ing 
countries.  Prominent  among  them  and, 

Scotland,  Germany,  Holland  and   Sweden. 

The  noisome  and  grievous  sore  is  the  peculiar 
judgments  on  the  Roman  Catholics  from  the  period 
of  the  reformation.  In  protestant  countries  the 
Roman  Catholics  were  separated  and  treated  like 

us  having  a  loathsome  and   eoiita^ioii- 
Their  institutions  \\vre  h.-ld  in  inrat  aMiorrence.   To 
their  great  annoyance  they  were  obliged  to  sun  ender 
much  of  the  •  .cal  accumulations  secured  by 

the  misrule  of  ccntur; 

Like  the  second  trumpet  the  second  vial  has  ref- 
eren<  It  is  thoee  countries  which  form 

the  centre  of  the  Roman  Catholic  power, 
to  th  Sea,  and  are  Latin  speaking.      Among 

these  nations  are  Spain,  France,  Italy,  Austria  and 
Portugal 

Every  living  soul  dying  implies  the  deprivation 
of    spiritual,  moral,  intellectual,  and  political  life, 
which  became    the    heritage  of    these   inhabit 
During  the  reformation   there  had   been  a  religious 


THE    VIALS.  57 

awakening  ;  before  this  there  had  been  a  revival  of 
letters,  but  every  promise  of  better  things  was  soon 
disappointed. 

In  this  prophecy  there  is  also  an  allusion  to  the 
loss  of  power  on  the  sea,  which  befell  these  nations. 
This  began  with  the  ruin  of  the  invincible  Armada, 
and  was  consummated  by  Lord  Nelson  at  Trafalgar. 
This  is  another  instance  in  which  a  literal  is  connected 
with  a  symbolical  allusion. 

Both  the  third  vial  and  the  third  trumpet  have 
•  •nee  to  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters. 
These  became  blood  under  this  vial. 

It  is  poured  out  upon  the  provinces  belonging  to 
the  Roman  Catholic  countries.  The  symbolical  riv- 
ers now  into  the  symbolical  sea.  These  provinces 
the  same  language,  manners,  and  religion  as 
the  mother  countries,  Th«'  most  important  of  them 
portion  of  the  Netherlands,  and  the  French, 
SpanMi,  and  lWtugin->c  colonies  in  America. 

They  became  blood  because  of  the  dreadful  wars 
hazarded  to  retain  them.  Also  those  which  were 
brought  under  the  complete  dominion  of  Rome, 
me  the  putrid  and  bloody  nature  of  the  sea  itself. 
The  condition  of  French  Canada,  Mexico,  arid  South 
America  demonstrates  that  these  waters  are  not  life 
giving.  The  maiked  contrast,  of  the  unexampled 
prosperity  of  the  English  colonies,  of  British  Amer- 
ica, Australia,  and  especially  the  United  States,  is 
highly  suggestive. 

The  exclamation  of  the  angel  of  the  waters  that 
the  Lord  has  given  them  blood  to  drink  because  they 


58  PROPHETIC   DAT1 

are  worthy,  refers  to  the  entire  Roman  Catholic  do- 
minion, or  to  the  sea  as  well  as  to  the  rivers  and  foun- 
tains of  waters. 

The  fourth  trumpet  and  vial  have  a  reference  to 
the  sun.  When  this  vial  was  poured  out,  power 
was  given  to  this  luminary  to  scorch  men  with  fire. 
Th.-iv  is  blasphemy  and  a  refusal  to  repent.  The 
sun  here  is  the  supreme  Roman  Catholic  authority. 
Scorching  with  fire  i-  »-X'Tci>ing  givat  tyranny. 
Tliis  scorching  is  at  a  time  when  the  people  are  \  •  TV 
tive  to  the  oppression,  followed  by  blasphemy 
and  a  refusal  to  repent.  The  tyranny  wa-  «.f  long 
Standing,  but  the  extreme  sen-itivt  ness,  the 
phemy,  an. I  the  ivi'n-al  t<>  n-p,  nt  wew  most  appar- 
ent at  the  epoch  of  the  French  n-\i»!ntion.  The  >un 
blazed  unnaturally  pivvi«ms  to  hi-  fii  al  extin< 

The  fifth  vial  was  poured  out  upon  the  seat  of  the 
beast.  The  seat  of  the  beast  is  every  place  within  his 
dominions  where  the  pope,  and  kings,  and  princes  rule. 
Tliis  vial  is  the  counterpart  of  the  fourth.  In  the 

One  the  people,   in   the  other    the  pi 

Tlie  extreme   anguish   of  the  j  rimvs,  \vh< 

their  tongues  f.«r  pain,  their  neglect  of  repentance, 

and  their  blasphemy,  were  never  so  fitly  exemplified 

as  during   the  French  revolution.     All  the   rulers, 

not  excepting  the  pope,  irere  treated  with  extreme 

indignity. 

The  purpose  of  pom-ing  out  the  sixth  vial  was  to 
dry  up  the  waters  of  the  great  river  Euphrates, and 
to  prepare  a  way  for  the  kings  of  the  » 

To  dry  up  the  Euphrates  means  to  extinguish  the 


THE    VTALS.  59 

Moslem  rule.  Kings  of  the  east  means  the  Asiatic 
kingdoms.  To  prepare  a  way  for  them  means  to 
provide  for  the  enlightenment  of  those  who  will 
hear  the  word,  and  for  the  judgment  of  those  who 
t  it. 

The  central  period  for  pouring  out  this  vial  is  prob- 
ably 1823. 

The  beast,  false  prophet,  and  dragon  out  of  whose 
mouth  proceeds  the  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs, 
are  the  Roman  Catholic  temporal  power,  the  Papal 
hierarchy,  and  the  Moslem  empire.  Unclean  spirits 
like  frogs  if  they  lead  men  together  for  battle,  do  it 
for  no  wi-e  or  good  purport-. 

The  first  gathering  at  Armageddon  was  during  the. 
Crusadea  to  drive  away  the  Turk,  and  the  last, 
equally  unwise,  and  singularly  contrasted  Arma- 
geddon battle  was  at  the  Crimea  to  establish  the 
Turk.  In  these  gatherings  there  has  always  been 
some  .Josiah  in  bad  company. 

The  battle  of  Armageddon  was  fought  in  the 
twelfth  and  thirteen! .11,  as  well  as  in  the  nineteenth 
centuries.  As  this  is  the  only  vial  where  the  Eu- 
phrates is  directly  mentioned,  the  prophet  glances 
backward  to  notice  a  marked  contrast. 

When  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  there 
came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of  the  heaven 
saying  "  It  is  done.  "  This  declaration  delivered  in 
so  august  a  manner  was  also  made  in  chapter  21.  6 
in  connection  with  the  idea  that  the  Lord  makes  all 
things  ne\v. 

The  seventh  seal  and  trumpet  and  vial  are  of  the 


60  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

highest  importance.  The  seventh  seal  introduces 
the  seven  trumpets,  the  seventh  trumpet  the  seven 
vials,  but  the  seventh  vial  proceeds  directly  to  point 
out  notable  and  concluding  events. 

The  fact  that  this  vial  is  poured  out  into  the  air 
shows  that  it  is  more  general  in  its  application,  and 
more  active  than  the  others.  Airext'ii  arth, 

sea.riversand  fountains  of  waters,  and 1  river 

Euphrates.  It  is  the  political,  moral,  religious,  and 
intellectual  atmosphere  that  is  convulsed.  In  the 
original,  the  term  translated  earthquake  is  not 
restricted  to  the  earth,  but  it  is  applied  to  all  things 
which  can  be  shaken. 

.  InHeb.  12:  27,  it  is  stat  1  "  And  this  word, 
onoemore/signifietb  ;  \-al  of  those  things  that 

liaken  as  of  things   that  are   made,  that   : 
things  which  cannot  lie  shaken  may  remain." 

'I'his  vial  introduces  tin-  earthquake  - 

known.     Earthquake*  >ynjl>«»!i/e  revolution 
under  this  vial  we  may  expect   the  greatest  revolu- 
tions. 

The  meaning  of  earthquakes  is  nearly  allied  to  dry- 
ing up  the  Euphrates,  the  turning  the  sun  into  dark- 
ness, and  the  turning  the  sea  and  rivers  and  foun- 
tains of  waters  and  the  moon  into  blood.  The 
•ith  vial  describee  the  central  period  of  the  sixth 
seal. 

The  great  city  here  mentioned  as  divided  into 
three  parts  may  be  the  Protestant  and  Roman  Cath- 
olic powers,  and  Russia  where  the  Greek  church  is 
nourished.  Or  it  may  mean  the  three  great  depart- 


THE   VIALS.  61 

ments  of  the  Protestant  dominion,  as  the  British 
and  German  empires,  and  the  United  States.  The 
rise  of  the  Greek  church  to  such  dignity  is  compar- 
atively recent,  or  since  the  expansion  of  the  great 
Russian  empire.  In  prophecy,  city  is  the  symbol  of 
a  spiritual  and  temporal  dominion  combined. 

Thou  "Great  Babylon  comes  into  remembrance 
In-fore  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of 
the  fierceness  of  his  wrath." 

at  Babylon  is  the  Roman  Catholic  dominion. 
This  came  into  special  remembrance  in  1868.  The 
statement  that  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell,  im- 
plies the  decay  of  the  Moslem  and  other  powers, 
which  uphold  a  false  religion. 

The  fact  that  every  island  fled  away  and  the  moun- 
tains were  not   found,   implies  the   collapse   of  the 
mighty  and  the  feeble  governments.     Mountains  are 
brong  and    slandsare  the  feeble  governments. 

Hail  is  the  symbol  for  war.  Great  hail  may  mean 
war  in  which  artillery  is  efficient.  The  plague  of 
this  i  iing  great,  and  men  blaspheme  God  on 

account  of  it.     It  cannot  be  said  that  the  blasphemy 
dors  not  belong1  to  this  period. 

Voifrs  may  mean  the  intense  speech,  and  writings 
of  men  at  the  period  of  great  awakenings.  Light- 
nings also  belong  to  the  period  of  religious  enthus- 
iasm, and  may  mean  the  startling  nature  and  the 
rapid  spread  of  the  truth.  Thunders  follow  such  a 
lime  of  moral  activity,  and  may  mean  the  exclama- 
tions, and  mandates  of  bodies  of  excited  men,  at,  or 
just  preceding  great  revolutions.  And  often,  "Vox 


62  PROPHETIC   DAT! 

(i  vox  Dei."    Earthquakes  or  changes  of  gov- 
ernment   always     succeed     voices,  and    lightii 
and  thunders.     Hail  or  war  is  commonly  anuth- 
suit. 

\V«-  may  hi-  Mire  that  the  power  of  G  >d  is  mani- 
fest in   tli  thunde;  -arth- 
quakes.      They    remind  one  of   Sinai  and  t: 
of   the  law. 

Similar  expiv-Mnn-  La  other    p*>rti<>: 

this  prophecy.      T  •  the 

sounding  of   i  trumpet^  whirl! 

400.     Again;  L  juat  after  the  soundii 

th.-  seventh   i  Tni-  tnnnp.-t  introduces  the 

1)  •^inniM^  of  the  p  .urin 

these  yiab  wasaii-»ut  I">oo. 

Thoc  t«-i-m-  \v<-  i-.'p.-jit  may  have  iff<-r 
ini>-i«»n;iry  Ot  r--vival  p  .vhich 

ar«-  \  -:i  and  writing:   then  rapid 

truth    a-     liirhtii 

then  asith-iritativ.  .  tlh-n 

eartlujuak-^  of  government;  and  tlien, 

usually,  hail  <»r  war. 

The  first  period  had  its  commencement  in  I 
of  Christ.     T.  f  this  period  for  thun- 

ders and  an  ear  th  •  days  of  (.'un-tan- 

tine, 

The  next  great  epoch  tak  its  chief 

actor,  Luther.  The  central  period  for  voices,  thunder, 
lightnings,  and  earthquake  wa^  in  his  day,  and  tip- 
hail  followed  soon. 

The  central  period  for  the  next  epoch  is  perhaps  in 


THE    FALL   OF   JERUSALEM,    ETC.  63 

our  own  day.  Now  we  have  the  voices,  and  light- 
nings, and  thunders,  and  an  earthquake  and  great 
hail. 

The  wonders  of  the  seventh  vial  are  made  mani- 
fest in  abundant  useful  inventions,  the  gospel 
preached,  the  Bible  circulated,  free  schools,  slaves  and 
serfs  emancipated,  the  beast  and  false  prophet  de- 
prived of  power,  and  the  dragon  enfeebled.  And 
other  remarkable  events  may  follow  soon. 

XVII.  THE  FALL  OF  JERUSALEM,  COMING 
OF  CHRIST,  AND  END  OF  THE  WORLD. 

The  Lord  said  to  his  disciples.  "  Ye  shall  not  have 
gone  over  the  cities  of  Israel,  till  the  Son  of  man 
be  com.'  This  coining  of  the  Son  of  man  was 
probably  by  his  Spirit  at  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

Again  when  he  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Lo  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world," 
we  doubt  not  but  that  this  presence  is  fulfilled  by 
the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit. 

When  the  disciples  saw  Jesus  ascend  to  heaven, 
two  persons  in  white  appeared,  and  said,  "This  same 
Jesus  .  .  .  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye 
have  >een  him  go  into  heaven."  To  some  extent 
the  realization  of  his  presence  was  enjoyed  at  the 
day  of  Pentecost.  From  the  nature  of  the  promise, 
with  their  natural  eyes,  the  disciples  expected  to  sue 
him  descend. 

Also  when  he  says,  "I  will  not  leave  you  comfort- 
I  will  come  unto  you,"  he  means  that  he 
will  come  by  his  Spirit. 


64  PROPHETIC   DAT1-X 

In  another  place  when  he  says,  "  If  I  go  and  pre- 
pare a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive 
you  unto  myself,  that  w la-re  I  am  there  ye  may  be 
also,"  his  coming  is  at  the  death  of  each  disciple. 

Like  the  passage  in  the  llth  and  12th  of  Daniel, 
and  like  the  book  of  Revelation,  this  prophecy  be. 
gins  with  a  literal   description,  luit   it  soon  rir*. 
the  use  of  exulted  prophetic  figur- 

The  question  of  the  disciples  which  the  Lord  an- 
awered  is.  "When  >hall  Jerusalem  he  destroyed,  and 
what  shall  be  the  sign  of  hi-  .and  of  the  end  of 

tin-  world  r     For  the  sake  of  brevity,  in  tl 
of    Mark    and    Luke,  these  authors  have  only  L: 
the  inquiry  r.  ^  the  destruction  ..f  JerUM 

and    they  have  confined   them  only 

that  portion  of  the  prophecy  which  was  mostly  ful- 
filled 1  it-fore  the  year  4no.  or  before  the  destruction 
of  th<-  \\Y-t  ern  Roman  Kmpiiv. 

In  tin-  prophecy  in  Matthew,  the  Lord  gives  the 
sign  of  his  coming  at  several  epochs,  and  of  several 
endings  of  the  world.  The  term  used  for  world  is 
aioof,  and  not  xofff.ioS.  He  may  speak  of  the,  end- 
ing <>f  the  Jewi>h  world,  the  Roman  world,  the 
Roman  Catholic  world,  the  Mos'.-m  world,  and 
finally  of  the  world  in  the  sense  of  the  Christian 
dispensation. 

H.-  also  may  sp.-ak  of  his  coming  with  the  shout 
of  war  to  destroy  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans;  and 
Ron  10  by  the  Goth's  and  Vandals;  and  a  portion  of 
the  Kastern  Kmpire  by  the  Arabs;  and  the  Grecian 
Empire  by  the  Turks.  And  he  may  speak  of  his 


THE   FALL   OF   JERUSALEM,    ETC.  65 

coming  with  the  Archangel's  voice,  as  when  Chris- 
tianity took  the  place  of  Paganism  in  the  days  of 
Constantine.  Ami  further  he  tnaj  speak  of  his 
coming  with  the  trumpet  of  God,  as  when  the 
power  of  Christ  prevailed  over  cruel  superstition  in 
the  days  of  Luther.  And  certainly  he  speaks  of  his 
coining  when  all  his  enemies  are  put  under  his  feet. 

The  assertion  that  we  know  not  when  the  Master 
of  the  house  will  come,  at  evening,  or  at  midnight, 
or  at  the  cock  crowing,  or  in  the  morning,  seems  to 
imply  that  he  will  come  at  these  various  seasons. 
And  hence  we  should  continually  watch.  The  eve- 
ning may  be  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  Jerusalem, 
and  of  Rome,  and  of  a  portion  of  the  Eastern 
Empire  ;  midnight  may  be  at  the  fall  of  the  Grecian 
Empire  ;  the  cock  crowing  may  be  at  the  era  of  the 
Great  Reformation ;  and  the  morning  is  yet  to 
come. 

In  this  prophecy  scenes  are  described  in  the 
order  of  their  fulfillment.  This  may  be  seen  in 
every  instance,  excepting  where  one  description 
applies  to  two  <>r  more  events. 

The  Lord  cautions  the  disciples  against  the  de- 
ception of  those  who  should  come  in  his  name,  claim- 
ing to  be  Christ  or  the  Anointed.  The  caution  was 
much  needed  as  the  events  showed  at,  and  before, 
tlie  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  remark  is  made 
that  wars,  and  rumors  of  wars,  and  famines,  and 
earthquakes,  and  pestilences,  should  not  trouble  them, 
from  the  apprehension  that  the  end  ,s  near,  for  they 
are  merely  the  beginning  of  sorrows.  The  end  here 
5 


66  PROPHETIC   DATES. 

spoken  of  was  that  of  the  power  of  tin-  -Te\v>.  as  well  as 
that  of  other  persecuting  nations  after  ward  in»-nt '• 
When  great  calamities  come  -«n  men,  they  in.-' 
ively  conclude  that  the  end  of  tin-  world  has  come. 
Also  the  disciples  knew  of  the  intimation  in  Daniel 
0:^U,  that  the  city  and  the  sanctuary  should  be 
destroyed  by  war.  They  also  knew  that  other  <»]>- 
live  nations  should  come  to  a  like  termination. 
But  they  are  admonished  not  to  come  to  the  con- 
ch K'IOM  tint  every  ureat  calamity  will  be  the  end  of 
th«-  nation  in  which  they  live,  or  especially  the  con- 
summation of  tlii: 

Then  there  is  a  description  of  persecutions  which 
are  to  follow.  Ii  niquity  abounds,  the  love 

of  many  shall  LTOW  cold.      But  tin-   rh«-rrin<j  a 
anee  is  ^ivrn  that  he  that   endures  to  the  end  shall 
be  saved.     Tli«-n-  U  a  i-.'t.Tcncc  h«-iv  t<»  tin-  j>«" - 
tion  under  Nero.     Tli  nd  of 

the   Jewish    commonwealth    w.-re    saved;   for 

ii.  a  humane  i-uler  a-sumed  the  dominion.      Tim 
same  description  suits  the  other  notable  -ions. 

This  is  the  ea  ••  with  the  protracted  tribulation 
under  Diocletian.  Tlnxe  who  t-ndured  to  tli> 
of  Pa-an  II-. me  were  -aved;  for  Constantin.-  intro- 
duced a  n.-\v  order.  So  at  the  era  of  the  Reforma- 
lioii.  Tho-e  wlio  endured  tli«'  horrors  of  the  in- 
(|ui>ition  till  the  end  of  the  Roman  <  'atholic  tyranny 
were  >aved  forever  fioin  {..•]->,  eiition. 

The  Lord  now  deelan-s  that  the  end  shall  come, 
when  thi>  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  he  pn-achrd 
in  all  the  world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations. 


THE   FALL   OF   JERUSALEM,    ETC,  67 

It  is  agreeable  to  the  assertion  of  the  sacred  writers 
that  the  gospel  was  everywhere  preached  before  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem.  So  in  Col.  1 : 23,  the 
apostle  says,  "  Which  [gospel]  was  preached  to 
every  creature  which  is  under  heaven." 

There  was  another  impulse  to  preach  the  gospel 
during  the  reign  of  the  first  Christian  emperors,  and 
it  was  published  in  all  the  world  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Western  Roman  Empire,  whose  capital 
was  Rome. 

Again  a  mighty  modern  impulse  is  awakened  to 
preach  the  gospel  in  all  the  world,  and  before  the 
significant  <.'iid,  this  work  will  be  accomplished. 

Now  there  follow  a  few  hints  to  the  Christians 
which  enable  them  to  escape  the  calamities  of  the 
perverse  Jews,  during  the  most  disastrous  siege 
known  in  history.  According  to  Luke  the  "  abom- 
ination of  desolation  "  was  the  surrounding  of  Jerusa- 
lem with  armies.  So  the  Christians  understood  it, 
and  at  the  first  encompassing  of  the  city,  they  fled 
to  the  mountains  and  were  all  saved. 

The  Lord  declares  that  "  Except  those  days  should 
be  shortened,  there  should  no  flesh  be  saved;  but 
for  the  elect's  sake,  those  days  shall  be  shortened." 
The  idea  is,  that  if  that  war,  and  especially  the  siege 
at  Jerusalem  should  be  lengthened  out,  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  land  would  perish.  But  on  the 
account  of  the  Christians  who  fled  to  the  mountains, 
and  on  the  account  of  the  remnant  of  the  Jews, 
some  of  whose  descendants  would  get  converted, 
those  days  were  shortened. 


68  PROPHETIC     DATES. 

Luke  here  introduces  the  saying  of  the  Lord  that 
"Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles 
till  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled."  These 
times  are  not  yet  fulfilled.  The  completion  \vill 
probably  be  at  the  end  of  the  Moslem  power. 

A  caution  is  now  given  against  false  christs,  and 
false  propht  ts.  This  caution  was  needed  on  many 
occasions.  But  the  chief  reference  is  made  to  the 
distant  future  as  to  Mohammed  and  his  followers  in 
the  desert,  and  to  the  pope  and  tin;  monks  in  the 
t  chambers.  These  faKe  chri>is  and  prophets 
had  power  to  show  great  signs  and  wonders,  and 
there  was  danger  that  they  should  deceive  the  elect 
themselves  He  declaivs  that  the  Son  of  man  should 
not  come  in  such  modes.  But  his  coming  shall  be 
as  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  shineth 
even  unto  the  west.  His  coming  at  various  times 
has  always  been  in  this  mode. 

Mention  is  now  made  of  the  eagles  and  a  car- 
cass. This  is  a  proverbial  expression.  The  eagles 
may  refer  to  the  Lord  where  his  power  and  that  of 
the  angels  is  needed  to  destroy  his  enemies,  and  also 
it  is  applicable  where  his  power  and  that  of  his 
angels  is  needed  to  sustain  his  people.  When  it  is 
said  that  the  Lord  comes  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  he 
bears  no  other  resemblance  to  the  thief  than  that  of 
his  unexpected  coming.  So  when  he  is  compared 
to  the  eagles  the  resemblance  is  only  in  the  faithful 
watchfulness. 

The  sun  shall  now  be  darkened,  and  the  moon 
shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  powers  of  the 


THE   FALL   OF  JERUSALEM,    ETC.  69 

heavens  shall  be  shaken.  This  refers  to  the  obscur- 
ing of  the  temporal  and  spiritual  authority  of  the 
nations  in  question.  In  his  commentary  Lange 
says,  "  Thus  when  this  6Xuf;iS  of  temptation  has 
reached  its  climax,  then  immediately  the  great 
catastrophe  will  come."  The  tribulation  of  tho>e 
days  had  a  primary  fulfillment  at  the  culmination 
of  trial,  in  the  persecution  of  Nero.  Then  followed 
the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  or  the 
obscuring  of  the  sun  and  moon  and  the  falling  of 
the  stars.  After  this,  is  manifested  the  distress  of 
the  tribes  of  the  earth,  when  they  see  the  Son  of 
man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  *;!••  at  glory.  After  the  Jews  were  rendered 
powerless  for  evil,  the  gospel  was  more  successfully 
proclaimed. 

But  this  prophecy,  by  a  later  event  was  more  defi- 
nitely fulfilled.  The  pressure  of  tribulation  6\vf)i$ 
took  place  in  the  reign  of  Diocletian.  Then  imme- 
diately followed  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon 
and  the  falling  of  the  stars,  or  the  obscuring  of  the 
Pagan  Roman  authority,  by  the  es  ablishment  of 
the  Christian  rule.  This  was  the  coming  of  the  Son 
of  man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and 
great  glory.  Then  by  the  messengers  or  angels  of 
the  Lord  from  the  four  winds,  there  was  a  great  in- 
gathering. Great  success  attended  all  the  efforts  to 
build  up  God's  kingdom.  Now  all  the  tribes  of  the 
earth  mourn.  The  heathen  are  filled  with  conster- 
nation. 

In  connection  with  the  assertion  that  the  sign  of 


70  PIMM'UKTIC      DAT 

the  Son  of  man  should  appear  in  heaven,  may  be 
mentioned  the  statement  made  by  Eusebius,  that 
Constantine,  and  his  whole  army  saw  across  on  the 
clouds  with  this  inscription,  "By  this  Conq> 

Tribulation  again  reached  its  climax  in  the  horrors 
of  the  inquisition.  Thru  follows  the  obscuring  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  authority,  or  the  darkening  of 
tin-  sun  and  moon,  and  the  falling  of  the  stars.  The 
reformat  ion  succeeds.  But  this  is  mentioned  fur- 
ther on  in  this  prophecy. 

By  the  parable  of  the  fig-tree,  the  Lord  esp,.  ially 
n-f'Ts  to  the  end  of  th  it  uvii'T.-ition.  .»r  race,  or  fam- 
ily of   people,  as   Alford  terms   it.      When   all   : 
events   already  mentioned    coin.-   to    pas*,  then   they 
should  understand  that  the  end  of  the  R  >iiiau  nation 
should  eome.      The    end    of  the    R..inan  Kmpiiv  was 
sudden    and    fe;irful.     The  overflow    of    the    ('• 
Vandals,  and  Huns  was  like  a  flood.   He  declares  that 
"  This  generation  shall  no!  pass  till  all  th. 
be    fulfilled."       He     means    by    "this    .  »n," 

the  world-ruling  race  or  nation,  whose  capital   is  at 
Rome.     This  race  did   not  pa-s   away  till  all   I 
things  already   nieni;  joyed   a  ]»rimary  ful- 

fillment. 

He  now  declares  that  no  one  knows  the  day  and 
the  hour  of  his  coming.  As  he  <-anie  when  th.- 
world  was  drowned,  and  when  Sodom  was  burned 
up.  M)  in  this  dispensation,  in  every  judgment  of 
nations,  he  has  come  in  a  time  unexpected.  But 
after  the  event  we  can  explain  the  prophetic  times 
and  seasons. 


THE    FALL   OF   JERUSALEM,    ETC.  71 

Yet,  though  no  one  knew  the  day  and  the  hour 
of  his  coming,  when  the  event  drew  near  he  has 
given  and  will  give  signs  by  which  his  servants  may 
know  that  it  is  at  hand. 

As  we  advance  in  this  prophecy  we  may  observe 
that  when  an  individual,  or  individuals,  are  spoken 
of,  a  nation  or  nations,  or  a  church  or  churches,  as 
well  as  persons  are  pointed  out.  The  prophecy 
may  be  applied  both  to  individuals,  and  to  organized 
bodies,  as  nations  and  churches.  Unlike  some  of  the 
prophets  he  does  not  use,  for  prophetic  symbols  of 
nations,  fierce  reptiles  and  beasts  uf  prey. 

The  two  persons  in  the  field,  and  the  two  women 
grinding  at  the  mill,  may  refer  not  only  to  the  sep- 
aration of  righteous  persons  from  the  wicked,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Jerusalem, 
but  also  it  may  be  applicable  to  two  nations  or  two 
churches,  one  of  which  is  exalted  to  the  enjoyment 
of"  heavenly  privileges,  while  the  other  is  cast  off. 

He  -ji.-ak^  of  a  faithful  and  wise  servant,  whom 
his  lord  when  he  conies  finds  providing  meat  for  his 
household.  He  is  declared  to  be  blessed,  for  his  lord 
shall  make  him  ruler  over  all  his  goods.  Nothing 
moiv  accurately  seem-  to  ivpiv-mt  the  faithful  and 
ant,  than  the  Christian  Grecian  Empire, 
with  its  capital  at  Constantinople.  Unlike  other 
portions  of  the  old  empire,  for  a  thousand  years  it 
was  shielded  from  the  plots  of  strong  and  fierce 
enemies. 

Now  the  Lord  says,  "But  and  if  that  evil  servant 
shall  say  in  his  heart,  my  lord  delayeth  his  coming 


72  PROPHETIC     DATES. 

and  shall  begin  to  smite  his  fellow -servants,  and  to 
eat  and  drink  with  the  drunken;  the  lord  of  that 
servant  shall  come  in  a  day  when  he  looketh  not  for 
him,  and  in  an  hour  that  he  is  not  aware  of,  and 
shall  cut  him  assunder,  [the  margin  has  it  cut  him 
off',]  and  appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  hypocrites: 
[Luke  has  it  unb, TH-YITS:]  there  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

Here  a  special  reference  aeema  to  be  made  to  the 
Western  Roman  Empire,  destroy-  1  by  the  northern 
barbarian-,  and  to  that  portion  of  the  old  empire 
brought  to  naught  by  the  Arabs.  These  two-thirds 
of  the  old  empire  were  cut  ntt'  and  their  portion  was 
appointed  aiii'-iiLf  tin-  infidt-K  The  weeping  ami 
gnashing  of  teeth  fitly  describes  th-  .  of  these 

people.  But  after  a  thousand  years,  his  servant, 
the  Grecian  Empire,  was  found  unfaithful,  and  he 
also  was  cut  off,  and  his  portion  was  appointed 
among  the  unbelievers,  or  the  Modem-. 

Now.  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  said  to  be  like 
ten  virgins  which  took  their  lamp-;,  and  went 
forth  t<>  meet  the  bride-room.  A  ter  the  down- 
fall of  th  rn  Empire  the  northern  h 
them>el\ .  inverted.  The  ten  vir-ins  are  the 
ten  churches  existing  in  the  ten  nations  which  made 
up  the  Roman  Catholic  dominion.  The  bridegroom 
is  Christ,  and  he  came  at  the  era  of  the  Reformation 
which  began  with  Luther.  The  midnight  is  the 
dark  ages.  The  cry  male  was  that  of  Wicklitfe, 
and  John  Huss,  ami  all  the  reformers  of  those  times. 
The  cry  reached  throughout  the  Christian  world. 


THE   FALL   OF   JERUSALEM,    ETC.  73, 

When  the  Bridegroom  came,  the  wise  virgins  were 
the  Protestant  churches  in  the  five  Protestant  na- 
tions, and  the  foolish  virgins  were  the  churches 
found  in  the  five  Roman  Catholic  coun'ries.  In 
closing  this  description  the  Lord  again  exhorts  to 
watchfulness,  for  we  know  neither  the  day  nor 
the  hour  wherein  the  Son  of  man  cometh.  It  was 
Luther's  opinion  that  the  Son  of  man  came  in  his 
day. 

A  description  is  now  made  of  the  giving  of  the 
talents.  As  usual,  men  represent  nations.  The 
great  truth  is  made  known,  that  among  the  modern 
nations,  the  most  faithful  shall  be  the  most  power- 
ful. Among  tln'M-  nations,  those  which  most  care- 
fully read  and  practice  the  divine  word,  in  all  things 
take  tliu  load.  This  truth  should  be  magnified. 
Perhaps  no  more  fit  example  can  be  found  of  the 
person  with  five  talents,  and  of  the  other  with  one 
talent,  than  in  the  case  of  England  and  Ireland,  and 
in  that  of  the  United  States  and  Mexico. 

Now  follows  the  extraordinary  description  of  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man  with  all  the  Angela  There 
is  nn  siitHeimt  authority  for  terming  these  angels,  or 
is,  holy.  (See  Rev.  Ver.)  It  may  be  that 
some  of  them  an-  not  good..  It  is  the  office  of  evil 
angels  to  separate  bad  men  from  the  good,  and  to 
bear  them  away  to  everlasting  punishment. 

Demonology,  also  sometimes  termed  sorcery,  and 
witchcraft,  and  spiritualism,  which  is  a  manifestation 
of  the  power  of  demons,  or  evil  spirits,  especially  since 
the  Reformation,  has  exerted  a  most  pernicious  in- 


74  PROPHETIC     DA  1 

fluence.  Some  of  these  aniH*  may  be  mini-ters  of 
the  gospel.  In  the  book  of  Revelation  the  i 
tin  seven  churches  addiv>-ed  an-  sty  led  angels ;  in 
another  place,  in  this  book,  the  Lord's  ministers  are 
termed  witnesses.  The>e  are  slain,  and  after  three 
days  ami  a  half  they  ri  i  This  re-unvction  is 

in  the  age  of  Luther.     For  ages  till  the  R-formation 
the  preachers  of  the  im-p.-l  were  greatly   n-strained. 
At  the  Lord's  coining  in   that  era  they  w- 
and  ever  sine.-  tln-y  have  enjoyed  great  po\\ 

Some  of  these  may  be  guardian  In  our 

time>,  if,   like    the  servant   of   Kli-ha,  our  eyes    were 
opened,  we  .-hould  see  round  about  the  triumphant 

children  of   the    Lord,  "the    mountain   full  of  h» 
and  of  chariots  of   ti:  'I'lie    Lord  tlius  suri'uunds 

his  children  \vln-n  h«- lead-  th.-m  to  victory. 

When  it  i-  said  thai   the  Son  of  man  with 

all  the  angels,  it  as>un--  u-   that    then-   will  be 
markable  exaltation  «>f  his  friend-,  and  downfall  of 

hi.-  !'• 

It  is  .-aid  that  the  bad  are  cast  into  everlasting  fire, 
prepared  for  tho  devil  and  1  In  on 

evil  spirit  they  an-ca-tout,  cried  to  the  Lord, 

"Art  thou  come  to  torment  us  befoi-e  t: 

It  is  here  declared  that  the  punishment  of  the 
wicked  is  to  1  'iiiLr  h're.  The  other 

mentioned    in    tliis  prophecy  are   lighter;    none  of 
them  are  everlasting  or  by  iii 

In  this  portion  of  the  prophecy  there  seems  to  be 
a  reference  to  the  rewards  and  punishments  that 
shall  come  on  "all  nations"  as  such.  These  in- 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF  PROPHECY.      75 

elude  the  Protestant,  Roman  Catholic,  Moslem,  and 
Pagan  nations.  On  the  one  hand  there  has  been 
shown  a  due  regard  to  the  least  of  the  Lord's  breth- 
ren, while  on  the  other  hand  they  have  been  treated 
with  contempt.  Some  of  the  nations  have  been 
fierce  persecutors. 

Also  there  is  a  manifest  reference  to  the  rewards 
of  all  persons  whose  love  to  Christ  leads  them  to 
honor  the  least  of  his  brethren,  and  to  the  punish- 
ment which  shall  befall  all  those  whose  hatred  to 
Christ  leads  them  to  despise  these  little  ones. 

The  punishment  hen-  named  is  similar  to  that 
mentioned  in  the  last  prophecy,  which  should  come 
on  the  beast,  and  the  false  prophet,  and  the  devil  or 
the  dragon,  and  death,  and  hell,  and  those  who  wor- 
ship the  heast  and  his  image,  and  those  who  are  not 
found  writtrn  in  the  hook  of  life.  They  are  all  to  be 
ca>t  into  the  lake  of  fire.  And  also  "The  fearful,  and 
unbelieving,  and  the  abominable,  and  murderers,  and 

whoremo:  u  1    ROrcererS,  and    idolaters,  and    all 

liars  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  hurneth 
with  fin-  and  brimston.-."  This  SIM-IMS  to  include  all 

us,  and  churches,  and  individuals. 
It  is  probable  that  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man 
with  all  the  angels,  began  at  the  Great  Reformation, 
and  that  the  revelation  of  wonders  has  continued 
and  enhanced  till  the  present.  And  more  signal 
events  are  to  follow. 

XVIII.  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  PROPHECY. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  consider  the  peculiar  import 
of  the  resurrection  in  prophecy. 


76  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

Doubtless,  at  death,  with  a  heavenly  escort,  the 
good  go  at  once  to  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  This 
was  the  case  with  the  repenting  thief  on  the  cross,  and 
Lazarus,  and  Stephen.  The  apostle  Paul  say-.  \\V 
know  that  when  he  shall  appear,  \\v  si  mil  be  like  him 
f'»r  we  shall  see  him  a  But  he  appears,  and 

••  him  as  in-    is  wln-n 

No  doubt  also  that  the  bad,  at  death,  go  at  once  to 
a  place  of  punishment     When  the  rich   man  de- 
scribed by  the  Lord,  di>-d.  In-  "  lit't-d  up  hi 
hell  being  in  turn 

There    are  n  instances   in   prophecy  of    a 

ivsunvi'tion  which  is  n 
tin-  dead.     This  is  th--  ease  with    li 
tin-  valley  of  dry  bones.     As  we  und'-iMand  th 

it  ion  of  it,  which  tin-  Loi  not  a 

literal  raising  of  human  !•  i-utit 

is  the  elevation  of  Israel  to  the  favor  of  God,  and  to 
notable  authority. 

So  th  •  apo-  tie  Paul  in  speaking  of  t!  ition 

of  T^ra-'l  says  : — "For  if  theca-tii.  <»f  them 

be  the  reconciling  of  the  world,  what  shall  th 

Dg  of  tin-in   be  but  li'e   from  th.  Lite 

from  the  dead  .  rrection.    Ti 

of  [srael  invction.     Tin-  -udden  convi  \ 

and  the  remarkable  exaltation   of  the  nat . 
event  similar  to  the  i  >f    l>ra.-l.  and  hence  it 

is  a  resurrection.    According  to  some  g«  N 
the  Reformation,  which  be^an  with  Luther,  i 
to  in  the  book  of  Kevelation  win-re  the  t  wo  witn 
after  being  slain,  and  aftt-r  lying  in  disgrace  three 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF  PROPHECY.      77 

days  and  a  half,  suddenly  rise  again.  Here  is  an- 
other instance  of  a  symbolical  resurrection. 

Again  there  was  another  resurrection,  which  was 

not  literal,  which    commenced  with   the  prolonged 

binding  of  Satan.    Those  who  lived  and  reigned  with 

Christ  a  thousand  years  enjoyed  what  is  called  the 

resurrection. 

Another  instance  of  the  same  kind  is  that  of  the 
beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horn<.  One  of  these 
heads,  which  represented  Pagan  Rome,  was  wounded 
to  death,  but  tin:  deadly  wound  WO.8  l»'<'lcd.  Still 
another  in>tance  is  fmind  in  Malachi.  4:  5,  where 
it  i<  promised  that  Elijah  shall  come  again.  This 
wa*  fulfilled  by  the  advent  of  John  the  Baptist. 

One  reason  for  speaking  of  the  elevation  of  the 
godly  nations  in  obscure  times,  as  by  calling  it  a  res- 
urrection, was  the  jealousy  of  the  rulers.  Any 
direct  assertion,  by  the  Christians,  that  they  would 
soon  rule  the  world  would  have  exposed  them  to 
increased  hostility. 

The  gospel  was  the  power  of  God  to  free  the  soul 
from  its  maladies.  Also,  after  a  few  generations, 
when  the  converts  multiplied,  the  tendency  of 
the  gospel  was  to  free  them  from  political  bondage. 
In  the  prophetic  language  they  rose  from  death  to 
life,  or  they  enjoyed  a  resurrection. 

In  1  Thess.  4:15,  we  have  the  following:  "For 
this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that 
we  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of 
the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep." 

"Them  which  are  asleep,"  refers  to  those  Chris- 


78  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

tians,  who  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation  were  op- 
pressed by  the  Moslem  tyranny.  They  are  asleep 
because  they  enjoy  no  civil  or  religious  freedom. 
Tho>e  who  remain  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  or  till 
the  period  of  the  Great  Reformation,  shall  not  go 
before  these  Christians,  for  under  Constantino  they 
shall  have  liberty,  and  political  supremacy.  This 
shall  be  prolonged  in  one  department  of  the  empire 
for  more  than  three  hundred  years,  and  in  another 
for  a  thousand  years.  In  the  book  of  Revelation 
this  is  styled  the  first  resurrection.  In  plain  lan- 
•  niauv  the  explanation  is  this:  The  raising  of  the 
body  politic  in  the  days  of  Luther,  shall  not  go 
before  a  similar  event  which  must  take  place  in 
the  days  of  Constantine. 

"Even  so  them  which  sleep  in  Jesus  [through 
dia  Jesus  Lange's  Commentary]  will  God  bring 
with  him." 

This  refers  to  all  those  who  on  account  of  their 
attachment  to  Christ,  either  by  Pagan  or  Roman 
Catholic  persecutors,  are  deprived  of   civil  an 
ii^ious    liberty.     The  Lord  will    bring    them   with 
him.  or  raise  them  to  the  highest  authority. 

•  Kor  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  [shout of  war,  Cony beare  and  Howson,] 
with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump 
of  God." 

When  the  Lord  comes  with  a  shout  of  war,  he 
brings  actual  war  on  his  enemies  to  their  destruc- 
tion. One  instance  was  at  the  downfall  of  the  Jew- 
i*h  commonwealth  at  the  hands  of  the  Romans, 


THE   RESURRECTION   OF   PROPHECY.  79 

and  another  was  at  the  ruin  of  the  old  Roman 
Empire;  first  by  the  northern  barbarians,  secondly, 
by  the  Arabs,  and  lastly,  by  the  Turks. 

The  coming  of  the  Lord  with  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  was  realized  in  the  era  of  the  Christian 
freedom  which  began  in  the  days  of  the  first  Chris- 
tian emperor.  There  is  a  reference  to  this  same 
event  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  where  the  arcK- 
angel  is  represented  as  contending  with  the  dragon. 
This  is  the  only  place  in  this  book  where  the  arch- 
angel is  mentioned. 

When  he  descends  with  the  trump  of  God,  the 
event  seems  to  be  realized  in  the  Great  Reformation 
under  Luther.  This  is  the  last  trumpet,  and  is  the 
herald  of  events  till  the  consummation  of  things.  In 
the  final  prophecy  it  is  termed  the  seventh  trumpet, 
and  when  it  sounded  great  voices  in  heaven  said: 
"  The  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  become  the  king- 
doms of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall 
reign  forever  and  ever." 

"And  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first." 

In  Rev.  20 :  5,  the  resurrection  which  began  in 
the  reign  of  the  first  Christian  emperor,  is  called 
the  first  resurrection. 

"  Then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be 
caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air ;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with 
the  Lord." 

In  Rev.  11  :12,  where  the  same  event  is  alluded 
to,  it  is  said  that  the  two  witnesses  after  being  slain, 
and  after  lying  three  days  and  a  half,  came  to  life 


80  PROPHETIC    DATES. 

and  went  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud.  Clearly  there 
seems  to  be  a  reference  to  the  Great  Reformation. 
At  this  time  the  nations  in  Northern  Europe  began 
to  enjoy  political  and  religious  life.  The  expression, 
"and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord,"  implies 
that  unlike  the  saints  at  the  first  resurrection,  who 
enjoyed  political  and  religious  liberty,  and  exaltation 
over  tin-  nations  for  only  a  thousand  years,  the  saints 
at  this  resurrection  shall  enjoy  these  tilings  forever. 

Being  caught  up  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the  Lord 
in  the  air,  means  to  be  exalted  to  the  enjoyment  of 
the  highest  authority.  This  the  Protestant  nations 
have  long  possessed. 

In  the  loth  of  1  Corinthians,  the  apostle  mostly 
discourses  of  a  literal  resurrection  till  he  professed  to 
show  a  mystery,  and  then  he  speaks  of  a  symbolical 
resurrection. 

"  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be 
changed." 

Such  authors  as  Meyer,  Winer,  and  Kling,  (see 
Lange's  Commentary),  insist  on  it  that  the  proper 
translation  of  the  Greek  text  is.  "  We  shall  not  all 
sleep,  but  we  shall  be  changed."  The  meaning 
is,  that  at  the  Great  Reformation  the  chosen  nations 
shall  not  lie  dormant,  but  shall  awake  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  liberty  and  power. 

"  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye." 

The  revolution  in  the  days  of  Luther  was  sudden. 

"At  the  last  trump." 

This  was  the  seventh  trumpet  of  the  book  of 
Revelation.  It  was  the  herald  of  the  Reformation. 


THE   RESURRECTION   OF    PROPHECY.  81 

The  events  which  belong  to  this  trumpet  still  con- 
tinue. 

"  The  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we 
shall  be  changed." 

The  import  of  this  is,  that  unlike  all  the  godly 
nations  of  former  times,  those  now  raised  to  life  or 
to  the  possession  of  freedom  and  power,  shall  never 
lose  it.  To  the  same  effect  Daniel  (7:18)  declares : 
"But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the 
kingdom  and  possess  the  kingdom  forever,  even 
forever  and  ever." 

"  O  death  where  is  thy  sting !  O  grave  where  is 
thy  victory ! " 

Here  this  passage  refers  to  natural  as  well  as  sym- 
bolical death  and  the  grave.  But  in  the  original  ap- 
plication, (Hosea  13:  14),  there  was  a  special  reference 
to  the  elevation  of  the  nation  Ephraim .  It  was  writ- 
ten near  the  downfall  of  the  ten  tribes.  In  the  same 
chapter  it  is  said :  "  When  Ephraim.  .  .  offended 
in  Baal  he  died."  At  the  time  the  prophet  wrote 
he  referred  not  so  much  to  natural  life  and  death, 
as  to  the  moral,  intellectual,  and  political  life  and 
death  of  Ephraim. 

In  distinct  terms  other  prophets  speak  of  the 
restoration  of  Ephraim  after  his  downfall.  The 
last  blessing,  both  of  Jacob  and  Moses  on  the  twelve 
tribes,  shows  that  Joseph  was  to  be  a  special  favorite. 
From  thence  was  to  be  the  shepherd,  the  stone  of 
Israel.  Blessings  were  to  come  on  him  unto  the 
utmost  bounds  of  the  everlasting  hills.  It  is  also 
said  of  him,  that  with  the  horns  of  the  unicorns  he 
6 


H'2  PROPHETIC     DAT 

shall  push  the   people   together  to  the   ends  of  the 
earth. 

Blood  will  tell.  The  enterprise  of  the  Israelites 
has  always  been  irrepressible.  It  is  not  improbable, 
that  with  a  dread  of  the  approaching  Scythians, 
soon  after  the  dispersion,  a  portion  of  the  ten  tribes 
joined  the  neighboring  (lentile  peoples  in  their 
immigration  to  Europe.  Nor  should  it  >urprise  us, 
that  by  the  blessing  of  God  on  these  sons  of  Israel, 
they  should  rise  to  supreme  dignity  and  power. 

With  no  apparent  purp<»-e  to  prove  their  identity, 
Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  in  his  dix-uurx/-,  find>  striking 

between   the   Anglo-Saxon   Pun 
and  the  Ik-brew-. 

In  Dan.  \'2:'2,  it   is  stated  that  "  Many  of  them 
that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake, 
to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting 
contempt." 

Also  in  Jolm  5:28   the  Lord   saj  ,ivel   not 

at  this,  for  the  hour  is  coming  in  the  which  all  that 
are   in   the    graves   >hall    hear    his   voice,  and    shall 
come  forth;  they  that  have   done  good   unto   the 
return  etion  of  life;   and  they  that  have  don* 
unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation." 

Both  these  passages  seem  to  have  the  same  im- 
port. At  the  death  of  Christ  it  is  said  that  the 
graves  were  opened.  This  is  a  literal  fulfillment  of 
prophecies.  He  is  the  "first  fruits  of  them 
that  slept."  "Because  he  lives,  we  shall  live  also." 
His  death  brought  in  a  new  era  in  which  there  is 
specially  a  glorious  resurrection  to  the  good  who 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF  PROPHECY.       83 

receive  him,  and  of  enhanced  condemnation  to  the 
bad  who  reject  him.  In  this  dispensation  the  mode 
of  the  resurrection  for  those  who  fall  asleep  as 
Stephen  did,  is  to  see  heaven  opened  ready  for  their 
admission,  while  the  ungodly  die  and  forthwith  de- 
part to  hell  as  Dives  did. 

But  these  prophecies  are  also  fulfilled  by  a  sym- 
bolical resurrection.  An  allusion  is  made  to  Eze- 
kiel's  vision  of  the  valley  of  dry  bones;  to  the 
triumph  of  the  nation  Ephralm  over  death  and  the 
grave,  as  described  by  Hosea;  to  the  resurrection 
of  organized  bodies  mentioned  by  the  apostle  Paul ; 
and  to  the  first  resurrection,  the  death  and  elevation 
of  the  two  witnesses,  and  the  wounding  to  death  of 
one  of  the  heads  of  the  beast  whose  deadly  wound 
was  healed,  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  at  Patmos. 

As  time  advances  the  glory  of  the  Lord  increases. 
When  he  was  approaching  the  grave  of  her  brother- 
the  Lord  said  to  Martha,  "I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life."  He  especially  called  attention  to  the 
resurrection  of  his  children,  who  at  death,  instantly 
rise  to  glory  and  immortality.  He  also  showed 
that  he  is  the  resurrection  by  calling  forth  Lazarus. 
Again  he  showed  it  at  those  notable  eras  when  he 
came  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the  trump 
of  God,  by  raising  even  nations  from  the  dead. 
Will  he  not  significantly  reveal  the  same  fact  at  the 
consummation  of  his  coming,  when  his  enemies  are 
under  his  feet,  and  the  kingdom  is  delivered  to  God 
the  Father. 

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